In a major step forward for hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles, Daimler Truck’s development team has successfully completed extreme winter testing of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz GenH2 fuel cell trucks.
Two advanced prototypes of the GenH2 Truck took on the Alpine challenges, navigating snow, ice, and gradients reaching up to 12% at altitudes exceeding 2,000 metres above sea level. Over 14 days, the trucks covered 6,500 kilometres with a combined elevation gain of 83,000 metres, validating both the durability and performance of the liquid hydrogen-powered drivetrain under real-world conditions.
Dr Rainer Müller-Finkeldei, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks Product Engineering, “We’re building on the insights from our first-generation prototypes and pushing the improved technology to its limits from the outset. The Simplon Pass offered ideal terrain to test how the fuel cell system integrates with the high-voltage battery, e-axle, tank system, and thermal management.”
A core area of testing was the Predictive Powertrain Control system, a topography-aware cruise control designed to optimise fuel cell and battery usage. Engineers focused on striking the right balance between propulsion and energy recuperation on steep uphill and downhill stretches. With a gross vehicle weight of 40 tonne, the trucks navigated 1,600 kilometres of severe elevation changes, simulating real-world freight scenarios.
The trucks were supported by a mobile hydrogen refuelling station from Air Products, set up at the base camp in Valais—further underscoring the logistical feasibility of hydrogen-powered freight mobility.
Prototype To Pre-Series Production
These winter trials are part of a broader program supported by €226 million in funding from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) and the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, under the EU’s IPCEI Hydrogen programme. The funding supports the development, small-scale production, and customer trials of 100 GenH2 trucks, marking one of Europe’s most ambitious hydrogen vehicle initiatives.
Beyond vehicle development, the funding also covers hydrogen value chain feasibility studies and investments in production infrastructure. The final assembly of the next-gen GenH2 trucks will take place at Mercedes-Benz’s Wörth plant, with the first customer deployments expected by late 2026.
With hydrogen considered a crucial element in decarbonising long-haul logistics, Daimler Truck’s GenH2 project represents not just a technological leap, but a decisive push towards sustainable freight mobility. These latest tests prove that fuel cell trucks can endure and perform under some of the most demanding conditions imaginable, bringing zero-emission transport one step closer to the mainstream.
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