Hydrogen Truck: Toyota, Volvo, and Daimler Go on the Offensive
- Published on 08/08/2026 11:39
Hydrogen is struggling in the battle of the personal vehicle against the battery. But in heavy road transport, the game is far from over.
Toyota, Volvo, and Daimler Truck united around hydrogen: the alliance carries weight. On July 27, 2026, the three groups signed an agreement allowing Toyota to enter the capital of cellcentric, a joint venture created in 2021 by Volvo and Daimler Truck. Subject to regulatory approvals, each will hold one third.
The objective is clear: to industrialize large-scale fuel cells for hydrogen trucks and other heavy applications. Cellcentric is particularly developing its new generation BZA375, capable of delivering up to 375 kW continuously.
Hydrogen now targets heavy-duty vehicles
This alliance mainly illustrates the evolution of the market. Hydrogen is no longer presented as a universal solution for automobiles. Its future now seems to primarily go through long-distance road transport, buses, and heavy machinery.
Daimler Truck plans to launch a small series of 100 Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 Trucks running on liquid hydrogen by the end of 2026, capable of exceeding 1,000 km of range.
However, hydrogen must now face a rapidly advancing competitor: the battery electric truck. Mercedes and Volvo are already announcing ranges of up to 700 km and a charging rate of 20 to 80% in about 50 minutes with megawatt technology.
Above all, there remains the problem of infrastructure. Europe plans to have hydrogen stations spaced a maximum of 200 km apart on major routes of the trans-European transport network by 2030, but the network is still very insufficient today.
You might be interestedin this article:
The Toyota-Volvo-Daimler agreement does not signal a comeback for hydrogen. It rather confirms its specialization: in the face of the battery, hydrogen could become the solution for heavy-duty vehicles that travel a lot, far, and with the fewest possible stops.
This page is translated from the original post "Camion hydrogène : Toyota, Volvo et Daimler passent à l’offensive" in French.
We also suggestthese articles:
Also read
