MAN wants to burn hydrogen

The industrial vehicle manufacturer MAN launches a limited series of vehicles equipped with a hydrogen combustion engine.

MAN has a long history with hydrogen engines, which the company has been studying for decades. MAN Truck & Bus presented the first hydrogen bus at the Hanover Fair in 1996: the SL 202 bus was equipped with a natural gas engine modified to operate on hydrogen. After the Hanover Fair, the vehicle underwent a three-quarter-year testing phase in Erlangen, during which it traveled 13,000 kilometers and transported 60,000 passengers. The bus ultimately arrived in Munich in 1997 and was successfully deployed in regular service. It was followed in 1998 by three articulated buses for Munich Airport, which were used until 2008, along with 14 other hydrogen buses between 2006 and 2009.

MAN continues to explore this zero-emission path and becomes the first European heavyweight manufacturer to launch a limited series of vehicles equipped with a hydrogen combustion engine. The limited series, initially planned at around 200 units, is expected to be delivered to customers in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, and some non-European countries starting in 2025.

A robust MAN

The MAN hTGX, in addition to its applications for heavy transport, can also serve as an eco-friendly alternative to battery electric trucks in regions lacking sufficient charging infrastructure or in markets where hydrogen is already adequately available. The first deliveries to customers will take place in 2024 and will expand on a larger scale from 2025.

The MAN hTGX offers high payloads and a maximum range of 600 kilometers in its initially offered 6×2 and 6×4 axle variants. The hydrogen engine H45 operates at a power of 383 kW or 520 hp with a torque of 2500 Nm at 900-1300 rpm. The direct injection of hydrogen into the engine ensures particularly rapid power delivery. With hydrogen compressed at 700 bars and a tank capacity of 56 kg, the vehicle can be refueled in less than 15 minutes. With less than 1g of CO2/tkm, the MAN hTGX will meet the criteria for a “zero-emission vehicle” under the new European CO2 legislation.