Hydrogen Haulage Hits the Road Across Europe

Scania, Hyundai, and Hyliko join Volvo in a major EU hydrogen truck trial that will deploy 125 fuel-cell rigs across six countries

10 Mar 2026

Europe’s plan to decarbonise heavy freight faces a stubborn fact: batteries struggle with very long distances. Hydrogen, long discussed and rarely deployed, is now being tested at a larger scale.

On January 28th Scania, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility Germany and Hyliko joined Volvo Group in the H2Accelerate TRUCKS consortium, the European Union’s flagship hydrogen-trucking experiment. The project, backed by roughly €30m from the Clean Hydrogen Partnership under the Horizon Europe programme, aims to place 125 hydrogen fuel-cell trucks on roads in six countries. Initial deployments are expected before the end of 2026.

More than 20 freight operators will run the vehicles on real commercial routes. The purpose is less spectacle than evidence. Fleet owners, investors and policymakers all want proof that hydrogen trucks can operate reliably and economically before committing to large fleets.

The appeal is straightforward. The vehicles are designed to travel more than 600km on a single fill of hydrogen, close to the range of diesel trucks and well beyond most battery-powered alternatives on long-haul routes. For logistics companies wary of long charging stops, that matters.

Fuel supply remains the larger obstacle. Hydrogen infrastructure across Europe is thin. The consortium hopes to narrow that gap. TEAL Mobility, a joint venture between Air Liquide and TotalEnergies, has joined to provide refuelling across 15 existing stations in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany. Five more stations are planned for 2026 near major logistics centres such as Rotterdam, Antwerp, Duisburg and Berlin. Each aims for a daily capacity above 1,000kg of hydrogen.

Industry figures frame the effort as more than a technical test. Volvo Group’s chief technology officer, Jens Holtinger, said that scaling hydrogen solutions is essential for Europe’s competitiveness and resilience, with fuel cell trucks expected to complement battery electric vehicles in meeting the EU’s 2035 CO₂ targets.

The project will not settle the hydrogen debate overnight. Costs remain high and the energy needed to produce clean hydrogen is substantial. Yet the enlarged consortium gives Europe its clearest attempt so far to see whether hydrogen freight can move from theory to everyday logistics.

The verdict should begin arriving when the trucks do, on Europe’s motorways later this decade.