2023 marks the year with the highest CO2 emissions worldwide to date. Instead of decreasing, transport sector emissions have continued to rise due to increasing transport volumes. Since a large portion of emissions from transport comes from road freight, the "European Green Deal" stipulates that new trucks should produce 90 percent fewer emissions by 2040. Hydrogen-powered vehicles are set to play a key role in achieving this ambitious target.
Potential of Hydrogen
Hydrogen trucks serve as a crucial complement to battery-electric vehicles, especially in regions where power grids are stretched to their limits, and long charging times are impractical for everyday use. Unlike electric trucks, which face payload limitations due to the weight of large batteries, hydrogen vehicles offer the advantage of maintaining full payload capacity. Moreover, hydrogen is well-suited for storing and providing electricity during peak loads in renewable energy generation, making it an integral part of a sustainable energy future.
Largest Hydrogen Truck Fleet in the EU
Convinced of the advantages of hydrogen trucks, hylane, a subsidiary of DEVK, handed over the first vehicle to a customer in Stuttgart exactly one year ago. Since then, the fleet has expanded to 44 trucks, with additional 78 vehicles on the way—making hylane the largest operator of fuel cell trucks in the European Union. Over the past year, the team has gained extensive hands-on experience in integrating this cutting-edge technology into heavy road freight transport.
Customers Draw Positive Conclusions
The key takeaway: hydrogen trucks are already proving their everyday usability. Established companies like DB Schenker, REWE, Spedition Amm, and Sonepar have adopted hylane’s pay-per-use model and gained valuable experience with the new technology. Over the past year, the trucks have operated reliably, with no downtime caused by the fuel cell drive. More than 60 trained drivers appreciate the smooth and quiet operation, making the vehicles particularly popular. Encouraged by their positive experiences, initial customers are already planning to expand their hydrogen fleets with hylane.
Numbers, Data, Facts
In November alone, the fleet covered over 60,000 kilometers—and the mileage continues to climb daily. The trucks have consistently exceeded the manufacturer’s stated range of 450 kilometers, with some achieving daily distances of up to 800 kilometers, proving the feasibility of two-shift operation. Refueling takes an average of under 15 minutes and has been carried out at 15 different stations, including Neumünster, Hamburg, Nuremberg, and the Rhine-Ruhr area. So far, switching from diesel to hydrogen trucks has saved over 220 tons of CO2.
Foundation for Market Ramp-Up Created
With proof that fuel cell technology works in practice and is well accepted by users, the foundation for scaling up the market is set. Fleet operators, manufacturers, and infrastructure providers now have greater certainty that hydrogen trucks can be operated economically: This provides a tailwind for more investments in this area to enable economically sustainable scaling in the long term, which can be implemented without subsidies.
Potential for Improvement
To bring more hydrogen vehicles into operation, the expansion of refueling infrastructure and service networks must continue. Another bottleneck is vehicle availability—most hydrogen trucks currently come from foreign manufacturers. Increasing supply, especially from German manufacturers, would further strengthen the market. In the early phase of the drive transition, it remains essential to make alternative drives more attractive for use than fossil fuels through legal frameworks: With CO2-based tolls and impending driving bans, regulatory incentives for a more sustainable transport sector are in place.
1 Year of Hydrogen Trucks in Germany – Voices of Project Partners:
Sara Schiffer, Managing Director of hylane: "A year ago, we brought the first hydrogen trucks onto the road, driven by the conviction that the transport sector plays a key role in shaping a sustainable future. Over the course of this year, we have experienced the impressive possibilities of hydrogen together with strong partners and users. We faced new challenges every day together. The new technology has always proven to be reliable. Our experiences show that it is now time to adjust regulatory and organizational frameworks. The power to make this change lies in our hands as a society."
Bernd Zens, Member of the Board of DEVK Insurance and Managing Director of hylane: "Given the current challenges posed by climate change and budget constraints, it is crucial that the economy acts boldly and decisively. Especially in this phase, the introduction of sustainable technologies plays a key role in maintaining the competitiveness and viability of Germany as an industrial location. As a pioneer in the field of hydrogen trucks, we not only rely on innovation but also make a clear contribution to addressing global problems."
Christian Orth, Head of Transport Logistics at Sonepar: "By using hydrogen trucks, we want to actively shape the climate transition and offer our customers fast and reliable service. We currently have four vehicles from hylane in operation, including in two-shift operation. We are very satisfied with the experiences of the past few months. The trucks run stably and are particularly popular with the drivers. However, it is clear that the density of hydrogen refueling stations in Germany must increase significantly for a market ramp-up."
Beat Hirschi, Managing Director of Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility: "Although we are still in the pioneering phase, we offer a proven hydrogen truck with the XCIENT Fuel Cell. The experience we gained in Switzerland over more than three years and with more than 10 million kilometers was brought to the German and European markets a year ago – with success. Hylane confirms to us with the expansion of the vehicle fleet that they see the value and necessity of this technology for the decarbonization of heavy transport. However, the market and customers are crucial. The latter have recognized in this first year that the technology meets their needs, fulfilling the requirements for heavy transport with the necessary efficiency, reliability, and operational safety. Therefore, partners like hylane, who bring this technology to customers and thus accelerate the scaling of hydrogen technology, are all the more important to us."
Christian Sulser, Board Member for Sales and Marketing at IVECO Magirus: "In the past year, the hylane hydrogen trucks that are already in use have more than proven themselves in practical use. Next year, the IVECO S-eWAY Fuel Cell tractor units will show that hydrogen is also a solution for long-distance transport. The first IVECO S-eWay Fuel Cell, which will be launched by the end of the second quarter of 2024, are part of the EU-funded H2Haul project, and immediately afterwards, competent partners like hylane can look forward to IVECO vehicles from series production in Ulm."
Andreas Haller, Chairman and Founder of QUANTRON: "We are very pleased with the partnership. hylane and QUANTRON share a commitment to innovative and sustainable transport solutions. With the use of the hydrogen-electric QUANTRON QLI FCEV, we are pioneering emission-free goods transport on the last mile. But demand for emission-free solutions is also increasing in the area of heavy commercial vehicles. Hydrogen is an attractive alternative due to its short refueling times and long ranges. hylane and QUANTRON are therefore exploring further cooperation in the area of heavy trucks."
Outlook
Together with strong partners, hylane will continue to work on the ramp-up of hydrogen trucks in Germany. The first steps have been taken with the continuous expansion of the fleet and the addition of new vehicle categories and manufacturers.
