Daimler Truck to receive €226 million funding to develop hydrogen-powered trucks
Daimler Truck had filed an application for funding in 2021 for the development of fuel cell trucks and small series customer deployment in long-distance transportation. “The approval of funding for the development and small series production of 100 fuel cell trucks is an important boost for the use of hydrogen in road freight transportation. This funding is therefore a strong signal not only for Daimler Truck but for the entire commercial vehicle industry”, commented Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck.
Daimler Truck is about to receive funding for hydrogen fuel cell truck development from German federal and state governments. More into details, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport and the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate approve funding totaling € 226 million for Daimler Truck for the development, small-series production and customer deployment of 100 fuel cell trucks.
According to the plans communicated by Daimler Truck, the fuel cell trucks are to be built at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth and are expected to go into operation at various customers from the end of 2026 onwards.
Daimler Truck’s programs for hydrogen-based trucks
Daimler Truck had filed an application for funding in 2021 for the development of fuel cell trucks and small series customer deployment in long-distance transportation. Daimler Truck will now receive around two thirds of the total eligible amount put forward in the IPCEI-funding application. The funding project, created within the framework of the European Union’s IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) Hydrogen program, covers both vehicle and production-related activities.
“The approval of funding for the development and small series production of 100 fuel cell trucks is an important boost for the use of hydrogen in road freight transportation. This funding is therefore a strong signal not only for Daimler Truck but for the entire commercial vehicle industry”, commented Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck.
“Sustainable transportation with hydrogen-powered trucks is already possible today. Daimler Truck is the first European manufacturer to produce a series-production truck that uses liquid hydrogen – and thus provide an important impulse for the commercial use of hydrogen technology in road freight transportation. I am pleased that my ministry is supporting the project together with Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate with a total of € 226 million. With the deployment of the new fuel cell trucks, we are gaining important insights for the future mix of drive technologies enabling sustainable freight transport”, added Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport and Federal Minister of Justice.
