Highlights:

Dr. Volker Wissing (Federal Minister for Digital and Transport and Federal Minister of Justice), Daniela Schmitt (State Minister for Economics, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate) and Dr. Andre Baumann (State Secretary at the Ministry for the Environment, Climate and Energy Sector of the State of Baden-Württemberg) jointly handed over the notice of funding to Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck.
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.
The funding is part of the Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) Hydrogen program of the European Union.
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.

The application had been subject to extensive review, also by the European Commission. Today, Dr. Volker Wissing (Federal Minister for Digital and Transport and Federal Minister of Justice) was joined by Daniela Schmitt (State Minister for Economics, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate) and Dr. Andre Baumann (State Secretary at the Ministry for the Environment, Climate and Energy Sector of the State of Baden-Württemberg) in handing over the notice of funding to Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck, at the Daimler Truck Test and Development Center in Wörth am Rhein.

Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck: “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.”

Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport and Federal Minister of Justice: “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.”

Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport and Federal Minister of Justice: “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.”

Dr. Andre Baumann, State Secretary at the Ministry for the Environment, Climate and Energy Sector, says: “Together we can achieve great things, together we can advance climate protection: I am pleased that this extensive IPCEI project has materialized and will drive forward the ramp up of hydrogen also in the important sector of heavy-duty transportation. The federal state of Baden-Württemberg is pleased to participate in the funding of this innovative project with up to € 50 million.”

On the path to decarbonize transportation with 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. Daimler Truck will now receive around two thirds of the total eligible amount put forward in the IPCEI-funding application. Daimler Truck will continue to carry a significant part of the total investment in the development of fuel cell trucks on its own.

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. In addition to the development and build-up of the vehicles, the funding will also be used for feasibility studies with regard to the hydrogen value chain as well as investments in required production facilities and processes in preparation for planned series production. Key components are set to be assembled at various German production sites and made available for final assembly. Kassel (electric drive axle) and Mannheim (“Tech Tower”) are two of the involved plants, while the fuel cells are planned to come from cellcentric’s pilot production in Esslingen and are set to be assembled into a twin-system at the Gaggenau plant. Final assembly of the next generation fuel cell trucks is set to take place at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth and the trucks are expected to go into operation at various customers from the end of 2026 onwards.

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