Daimler Truck tests liquid hydrogen prototype

Daimler Truck is putting a fuel-cell truck prototype into operation in Germany to test the use of liquid hydrogen.

A newly installed prototype filling station at the development and testing center in Worth, Germany, enables refueling with liquid hydrogen.

Daimler Truck recently celebrated the first successful liquid hydrogen (LH2) refueling of the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 protype truck together with Air Liquide.

During the refueling process, cryogenic liquid hydrogen at minus 253 degrees Celsius is filled into two 40 kg tanks mounted on either side of the chassis.

Due to its good insulation of the vehicle tanks, the hydrogen can be kept at temperature for a sufficiently long time without active cooling.

The companies plan for the first refueling of a prototype vehicle at a pilot station in Germany in 2023.

The development objective of the series-ready GenH2 Truck is a range of up to 1,000 kilometres and more. This makes the truck suitable for flexible and demanding applications, especially in the important segment of heavy-duty long-haul transport.

The start of series production for hydrogen-based trucks is planned for the second half of the decade.

Daimler Truck is working together with Linde on the development of a new process for handling liquid hydrogen.