Page 15 - Commercial Vehicle Engineer - June 2021

NEWS
DAIMLER BEGINS TESTS OF FUEL-CELL TRUCK
Daimler Trucks has begun According to Daimler Trucks’
tests of its first new enhanced prototype of its Mercedes-Benz
GenH2 Truck, which runs on hydrogen fuel cells.
The tests of the Mercedes-Benz GenH2, which was unveiled in 2020, mark an important milestone on the path to series production. During these tests, developers at Daimler Trucks are putting the fuel-cell vehicle through its paces. The extensive series of tests is demanding for the vehicle and
its components, and focuses, among other things, on continuous operation, different weather and road conditions, and various driving manoeuvres.
development plan, the vehicle
will also be tested on public roads before the end of the year. Customer trials are scheduled to begin in 2023 and the first series produced GenH2 Trucks are expected to be handed over to customers in 2027.
“The hydrogen-powered fuel-cell drive will become indispensable
for CO2-neutral long-haul road transport in the future,” said Martin Daum, chairman of the board of management of Daimler Truck
AG and member of the board
of management of Daimler AG: “This is also confirmed by our many partners with whom we are working together at full steam to put this technology on the road
in series-production vehicles. Moreover, considerable momentum is being generated by the clear commitment of national and European regulators to the use of hydrogen for road freight transport. Political support plays an important role in promoting the creation of an infrastructure for green hydrogen and making an economically viable use of fuel-cell trucks possible for our customers.”
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENGINEER > JUNE 2021 15