Hydrogen fuel cell trucks for heavy-duty, zero emission logistics

Project Information

H2Haul

Grant agreement ID: 826236

DOI

10.3030/826236

EC signature date 23 July 2019

Start date 1 February 2019

End date 31 December 2026

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 28 110 688,98

EU contribution

€ 12 000 000,00

Coordinated by

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT LIMITED
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 5 - H2Haul (Hydrogen fuel cell trucks for heavy-duty, zero emission logistics)

Reporting period: 2024-02-01 to 2025-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

H2Haul brings together two major European truck OEMs (Iveco and VDL) and three fuel cell stack suppliers (OPmobility, Bosch and Powercell) to develop and demonstrate fleets of heavy duty (26–44t) trucks in day-to-day commercial operations in four sites across four countries. The consortium includes hydrogen infrastructure providers (Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, Colruyt group and H2Energy) who will put in place refuelling facilities and reliable hydrogen supplies at each of the demonstration sites. The vehicles will be integrated into the fleets of several high-profile retailers with a strong interest in and commitment to adopting fuel cell HGVs: Carrefour (among other end users in the South of France), Colruyt (Belgium), G. Leclerc and Migros (Switzerland). They will also be used in logistics operations (by DHL for BMW in Germany and by Air Liquide in France. The Air Liquide truck will be used as part of the company’s existing hydrogen logistics operation and thus represents an important step forward for this sector: fuel for zero emission mobility being delivered by a zero-tailpipe emission vehicle. Fifteen of the vehicles deployed in this project will be tractor units for 44t articulated vehicles and one will be a 26t rigid (solo) truck. The development and homologation of these variants provide an excellent foundation for wider roll-out beyond the project by maximising the potential customer base and achieving synergies in terms of component design, integration, and vehicle engineering.

The overall objective of H2Haul is to prove that hydrogen trucks can be a practical zero emission and zero carbon solution for much of Europe’s trucking needs and, in so doing, pave the way for the commercialisation of fuel cell trucks in Europe. This overall objective leads to a series of sub-objectives:

• Develop long-haul heavy-duty (26 and 44t) fuel cell trucks that meet customers’ requirements in a range of operating environments
• Homologate three fuel cell truck types to certify that they are safe to use on Europe’s roads
• Install hydrogen refuelling infrastructure at each of the demonstration sites and put in place arrangements for high reliability hydrogen supplies that maximise environmental benefits
• Drive the fuel cell trucks for over one million kilometres during normal commercial operations, proving the viability of the technology
• Demonstrate high reliability of fuel cell heavy-duty trucks compatible with mainstream trucking operations under normal operating conditions
• Monitor the performance of the vehicles and infrastructure throughout the operational phase to provide definitive evidence, validated by third parties, on the availability, efficiency, and environmental benefits of fuel cell trucks
• Develop the business case for further roll-out of heavy-duty fuel cell trucks
• Prepare the European market for further roll-out of fuel cell trucks through (i) the development of innovative commercial models and (ii) disseminating information from the project to a wide audience of relevant stakeholders

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Key progress during the 5th period of the project includes:

• Iveco successfully completed the construction of all 12 H2Haul vehicles, finalised homologation tests, and secured Single Type Approvals (STAs) for the entire fleet. Safety, functional, durability, and fuel efficiency testing has been completed, accumulating over 15,000 km driven in validation trials, and further interoperability tests in Germany, France, and Switzerland confirmed compatibility with project HRSs. Furthermore, maintenance support systems were established between Bosch and Iveco to facilitate ongoing servicing and troubleshooting. Iveco also showcased one of their trucks at European Hydrogen Week 2025, where it received positive feedback from attendees.
• VDL secured transport permits, refurbished fuel cells, completed homologation for the FRETT, FCT-1, and FCT-2 trucks, and implemented software updates. FCT-1 was also showcased at European Hydrogen Week 2025, gaining positive feedback from attendees. VDL successfully began operation of the FRETT truck during Period 5 and collected operational data until a technical breakdown put it out of service in June 2024. This data will be shared with Sphera and recommissioning of the FRETT truck will take place later in 2025.
• All three H2Haul-funded HRSs remain operational in Switzerland, France and Belgium. In Germany, TotalEnergies secured the necessary permits for the Leipzig HRS, allowing construction to progress, with public opening expected in March 2025. In Hormersdorf flooding issues were successfully resolved, keeping the station on track for a March 2025 launch. ERM collaborated with project partners to compile best practices for HRS deployment, which have been documented in the D2.5 HRS Best Practice Report.
• Progress continued in monitoring and analysis (WP4) despite operational challenges with project trucks. The Rothenburg and Ollignies HRSs maintained ~94% availability, with HRS Rothenburg exceeding daily hydrogen dispensing targets. The Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Well-to-Wheel (WtW) analysis preparation has advanced, focusing on ensuring consistency in economic and environmental assessments. Additionally, Sphera has aligned with truck deployment partners to coordinate data sharing once vehicles enter operation.
• Outreach efforts continued throughout Reporting Period 5, with project updates shared via events, press releases, articles, and social media. Key milestones included H2Haul’s participation in the AEVETO cluster conference round table and European Hydrogen Week, where both VDL and Iveco trucks were showcased, and the project was presented in the EU Project Pavillion.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

All targets are on track. See technical report Part B for further details.

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