As the heavy-duty truck industry seeks to reduce its carbon footprint, the use of hydrogen offers attractive prospects.

But what exactly is the future of hydrogen trucks? Early results show a positive horizon, even if there is still a lot of work to be done before they become democratized.

Hydrogen, a green alternative

Hydrogen is a pure gas that when used as an energy source produces only water vapor as emissions. This makes it a particularly attractive option for heavy vehicles such as trucks, which account for a significant portion of transport-related greenhouse gas emissions.

The first tests of hydrogen trucks showed promising results. Unlike diesel trucks, these vehicles do not emit fine particulate matter or harmful nitrogen dioxide into the atmosphere.

Autonomy, the main asset in the world of trucks

The autonomy of hydrogen cars is one of their main advantages. Unlike electric vehicles, which require significant charging times, especially for trucks with large batteries, water trucks can be refueled in just a few minutes.

This speed of refueling is important for transport companies as it reduces downtime and therefore increases productivity. In addition, hydrogen trucks offer significant autonomy, comparable to conventional diesel trucks.

The first results are promising

Daimler Truck, one of the world’s leading truck manufacturers, demonstrated its commitment to innovation this week. The GenH2 prototype traveled more than 1,000 kilometers without recharging.

While this experiment may seem to herald a promising future for hydrogen trucks, challenges remain before the technology becomes the norm. Among the main obstacles are lack of infrastructure for refueling with hydrogenthe limited availability of green hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources and the associated costs.

Andreas Horbach, Head of Truck Technology at Daimler Trucks, explains that mass production of hydrogen trucks is planned for “Second half of the decade”. However, several conditions must be met, including the development of water-based charging infrastructure and the provision of green energy at a competitive price to customers.

Do not neglect electricity

Daimler Truck believes that battery and hydrogen technologies complement each other. Batteries are ideal for light loads and short journeys, while hydrogen batteries are more suitable for longer distances and offer significantly reduced charging times. Andreas Horbach emphasizes this “To decarbonize transport, we will need both”.

Cost remains a major challenge for widespread adoption of hydrogen technology. at this moment Battery electric models are approximately 2.5 times more expensive to manufacture than an equivalent diesel Daimler Truck model.

Daimler has begun working with several truck manufacturers and energy suppliers, including Shell, BP and Total, to develop a network of hydrogen charging stations in Europe and North America. The goal is to make this network a reality “end of the decade”with the hope of offsetting the costs of using hydrogen trucks “similar” to diesel trucks.

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