Major truck builders including Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, Scania, and Iveco are moving past initial pilot projects to establish real-world fleets, backed by an expanding manufacturing and refueling ecosystem involving Toyota, Bosch, Air Liquide, and TotalEnergies.
Major Manufacturers Accelerate Hydrogen Truck Deployments for 2026 and 2027
According to Daimler Truck, the company has accumulated roughly 600,000km of real-road driving data with its hydrogen fuel cell trucks and plans to start small-scale production of 100 hydrogen trucks for logistics deployment by the end of 2026, alongside market releases for hydrogen engine trucks in 2027. Volvo Group is similarly investing in hydrogen-based powertrain solutions, having initiated public road trial operations with select Scandinavian customers for both fuel cell and hydrogen-powered internal combustion trucks. Meanwhile, Scania announced plans to deploy 40 heavy-duty hydrogen electric trucks equipped with Toyota’s third-generation fuel cell systems into active freight operations starting in the first quarter of 2027. Iveco is partnering with Toyota under the European Union-backed Horizon Europe “EMPOWER” project to build the next-generation “S-eWay Fuel Cell” truck, targeting a driving range exceeding 900 kilometers with road testing scheduled to commence in the first half of 2027, according to company disclosures.
Toyota and Bosch Expand Supply Chain Roles in European Heavy-Duty Transport
Component suppliers are scaling industrial capacities to support truck makers, with Toyota transitioning into a major fuel cell system supplier for European commercial fleets. Toyota’s third-generation fuel cell system achieves up to double the durability and a 20 percent increase in fuel efficiency compared to its second-generation predecessor, tailored into a 300kW module designed specifically for heavy-duty commercial applications. Supplying systems to both Scania and Iveco allows Toyota to gather operational data on heavy-load, long-distance routes to verify cost efficiency and total cost of ownership. Bosch is contributing to the supply chain with gaseous and liquid hydrogen fueling technologies and core vehicle components, leveraging over 30,000,000km of real-road testing data accumulated by its fuel cell systems, according to corporate releases.
Germany and Energy Firms Scale Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure for Heavy-Duty Fleets
Infrastructure development is scaling in tandem with vehicle manufacturing, centered heavily on initial deployment hubs in Germany. The German government advanced initial funding programs for heavy commercial vehicle fueling networks, drawing 526 applications totaling approximately 455,000,000 euros by its June deadline, which included 71 applications for hydrogen refueling stations and 455 for vehicle deployments. Energy suppliers including Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, and MB Energy are constructing high-capacity refueling stations capable of servicing up to 100 trucks daily along major European transport corridors. TEAL Mobility, a joint venture between Air Liquide and TotalEnergies, is actively expanding high-throughput refueling networks for heavy commercial vehicles to secure the supply chains required for commercial viability.
Key Takeaways
- Commercial Scaling: Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, Scania, and Iveco are transitioning hydrogen commercial vehicles from research projects to active fleet deployments between late 2026 and 2027.
- Supplier Integration: Toyota is supplying 300kW third-generation fuel cell systems to multiple European truck makers, while Bosch provides core components and refueling technologies.
- Infrastructure Growth: Germany’s recent funding application intake of over 500 proposals highlights public-private momentum, matched by energy suppliers like Air Liquide and TotalEnergies building high-capacity refueling stations.
- Economic Viability: Industry stakeholders emphasize that reducing total cost of ownership through green hydrogen production efficiency, purchase price parity, and operational incentives remains vital for long-term market adoption.