Germany – In partnership with Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH from Vilshofen, Munich-based retrofitter Keyou GmbH, has handed over its first 18-ton hydrogen-powered (H2 ICE) truck to German logistics company EP-Trans. This truck is set to start operating for an international steel group in Bavaria in early Q 1 2025. The truck conversation is based on a Mercedes Benz Actros chassis (4x2), equipped with a 7.8-litre Deutz six-cylinder in-line diesel (converted to run on hydrogen) engine with an output of 210 kW (281 hp) providing a maximum torque of 1000 Nm. The truck is fitted with an Allison 3000 Series TM fully automatic transmission.

The advantages of hydrogen over diesel combustion engines are of course the zero-emissions aspect with H2 IC engines reducing CO2 emissions by 99.7%, according to Keyou. The increased range and shorter refuelling/recharge times (compared to BEV) are especially important for long-haul trucking. There are also decreased noise and improved efficiency gains, with the company claiming that the hydrogen combustion engine outperforms the latest diesel engines on the market.