Daimler Truck has achieved a major milestone in decarbonizing long-haul road transportation. Recently, the company’s Mercedes-Benz GenH2 truck completed an impressive 1,047-kilometer (650 mile) journey on just one tank of liquid hydrogen.
Known as the #HydrogenRecordRun, this feat showcases the potential of hydrogen fuel-cell technology. Powered by a cellcentric fuel-cell system and equipped with a state-of-the-art liquid hydrogen fuel tank system, the truck set off from Mercedes-Benz Truck’s Customer Center in Woerth am Rhein and arrived in Berlin, Germany the following day.
Daimler Truck’s successful demonstration reaffirms the viability of hydrogen as a sustainable and efficient power source for the future of transportation.
The truck successfully completed a fully loaded run of 40 tons under real-life conditions, emitting zero CO2. This record-breaking drive, which was independently verified by TÜV Rheinland, involved sealed tanks and controlled mileage.
Petra Dick-Walther, Rhineland-Palatinate’s secretary of state for economic affairs, partnered with Rainer Müller-Finkeldei, head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks product development, to document the hydrogen truck’s journey in the presence of international media.
“Today is a great day!” Müller-Finkeldei said. “A hydrogen-powered truck is taking off from Rhineland-Palatinate all the way to Berlin. It marks a milestone in the transformation and decarbonization of the transport sector — thanks to new technologies. The journey of the GenH2 Truck from Rhineland-Palatinate to Berlin makes this tangible.”
Near the end of the successful run, Board member of Daimler Truck and truck technology head, Andreas Gorbach, triumphantly took the wheel to drive the truck across the finish line in this record-breaking run in Berlin’s Ministergarten.
“To decarbonize transport, we need both battery-electric and hydrogen-powered drive technologies,” Gorbach said. “The sweet spot for fuel cell trucks lies in flexible and demanding long-haul transportation tasks. By cracking the 1,000-kilometer mark with one fill, we have now impressively demonstrated.
“Hydrogen in trucks is anything but hot air, and we are making very good progress on the road to series production. At the same time, our record run today is a reminder that decarbonizing transportation requires two other factors in addition to the right drive technologies: a green energy infrastructure and competitive costs compared to conventional vehicles.”
The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck was fueled with renewable liquid hydrogen, sourced from biomethane. The hydrogen was supplied by Air Liquide, guaranteeing its sustainable origin and production.
During the refueling process, cryogenic liquid hydrogen at incredibly low temperatures was filled into two tanks on the truck chassis. Thanks to the insulation of the tanks, the hydrogen can be kept cold for a long time without active cooling. TÜV Rheinland even sealed the tanks to ensure safety during the groundbreaking #HydrogenRecordRun.
Daimler Truck believes that liquid hydrogen is the key to advancing hydrogen-based drives. Its higher energy density in liquid form allows for more hydrogen to be carried, increasing the vehicle’s range and enabling comparable performance to a conventional diesel truck.
Daimler Truck, a global leader in commercial vehicle manufacturing, is fully committed to the Paris Climate Agreement. By 2039, the company aims to provide new vehicles that are carbon-neutral during operation in key markets such as Europe, the USA, and Japan.
In pursuit of this goal, Daimler highlights the benefits of battery-electric trucks for distribution and regular long-distance haulage on predicable routes with charging options. However, they acknowledge that hydrogen-based drives may be more suitable for demanding heavy-duty transport and long-distance haulage applications.
To successfully transition to emission-free technologies, Daimler emphasizes the importance of adequate infrastructure and abundant green electricity. They believe that a combination of both battery-electric and hydrogen-based technologies is necessary to rapidly and efficiently meet the energy demands of this transition.
Daimler and Volvo Group, longtime rivals, are teaming up to develop zero-emission trucks. Three years ago, Daimler made a commitment to invest in hydrogen technology, and now they are making progress.
They recently unveiled the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 concept truck, which has been undergoing testing and has proven its capabilities on one of Europe’s toughest transit routes. The success of the recent #HydrogenRecordRun marks another milestone in their journey towards sustainable transportation.
Daimler plans to put their first fuel-cell trucks in customer hands for testing in the near future, with the goal of releasing the series version of the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck in the next few years.
Source: Trucking Info
Photo: Daimler Truck
