Following the successful development and testing programme with first-generation prototypes of its fuel cell trucks, Daimler Truck is now unveiling the Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 truck for the first time. The hydrogen truck marks another step forward for Daimler Truck on the road to sustainable transport with hydrogen-based drive systems. As part of a small-series production run, 100 of these advanced tractor units are to be built at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth and put into practical operation by various customers from the end of 2026.

‘Crucial for sustainable transformation’

Achim Puchert, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks: "Alongside battery-electric solutions, hydrogen-based drives are crucial for the sustainable transformation of our industry. With the NextGenH2 Truck, we are taking the next technological step in fuel cell trucks. Together with our customers, we want to put the small series with a long range and near-series technology into daily transport use from the end of 2026."

Liquid hydrogen enables a range of well over 1,000 kilometres

The proven strengths of the first-generation Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck have been carried over into the development of the new model. Liquid hydrogen continues to be used, enabling ranges of well over 1,000 kilometres on a single tank of fuel at full payload. The conversion of hydrogen into electrical energy on board the truck is handled by the proven BZA150 fuel cell from cellcentric.

For demanding applications in heavy-duty long-distance transport

The most important innovations include current series components from the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600. These include the aerodynamically optimised ProCabin, the new generation of integrated electric axles, the modern Multimedia Cockpit Interactive 2 and the latest safety and assistance systems based on the current E/E architecture. Like its predecessor, the Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 Truck is particularly suitable for highly flexible and demanding applications in heavy-duty long-distance transport.

Performance like a conventional diesel truck

When developing hydrogen-based drive systems, Daimler Truck prefers to use liquid hydrogen. In this aggregate state at minus 253 degrees Celsius, the energy carrier has a significantly higher energy density than gaseous hydrogen. This means that more hydrogen can be transported, which significantly increases the range and enables performance comparable to that of a conventional diesel truck. The volume of the two liquid hydrogen tanks has been increased compared to the first generation of the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 truck, so that a total of up to 85 kilograms of hydrogen can now be stored on both sides. With the sLH2 tank standard created by Daimler Truck and Linde, the truck can be refuelled with liquid hydrogen in ten to fifteen minutes – as safely, quickly and easily as today's diesel trucks.

40-tonne truck travels more than 1,000 kilometres

The cost of transporting liquid hydrogen can also be significantly reduced, and liquid hydrogen tanks offer advantages over gaseous pressurised hydrogen in terms of cost and weight. Among other things, the use of liquid hydrogen enables a higher payload, making it comparable to today's diesel trucks. Daimler Truck already successfully demonstrated this at the end of 2023 as part of the #HydrogenRecordRun; on the record-breaking journey, a Mercedes-Benz GenH2 truck with a total towing weight of around 40 tonnes covered a total of 1,047 kilometres on a single tank of liquid hydrogen.

Reliable and efficient fuel cell technology

The BZA 150 fuel cell from cellcentric – the joint venture between Daimler Truck and the Volvo Group – also forms the heart of the drive system in the NextGenH2 truck. Two fuel cell units are integrated into the NextGenH2 truck as a twin system with a total system output of 300 kilowatts (two times 150 kilowatts each) in a space-saving manner in the engine compartment below the cab. The hydrogen-based drive concept has already proven itself in recent years during intensive test and development drives with its reliability and efficiency under real-world conditions. For example, in initial customer-oriented trials with the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck, the average hydrogen consumption of the fuel cell trucks was between 5.6 and 8 kilograms per 100 kilometres, depending on the application, with an average total towed weight of between 16 and 34 tonnes. The fuel cell works by generating electrical energy through the reaction between hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). Together with a buffer battery, this drives the electric motors integrated into the electric axle, providing powerful propulsion. The only emission from this process is pure water vapour.

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