Daimler hydrogen trucks will be driving on German roads in 2024

The automaker’s GenH2 big rigs will start being used in Germany by this summer.

Daimler recently unveiled its GenH2 hydrogen trucks, which will operate on liquid H2 to power an electric motor. The automaker recently announced that those vehicles will start being used in Germany by the middle of this year.

The company is already negotiating with a number of businesses operating their fleets in Germany.

Daimler’s GenH2 hydrogen trucks have been successfully tested in prototype form on a track in Germany as well as on public roads in the country. The early road tests showed the company that when fully loaded, the GenH2 was able to haul about 25 tons for over 1,000 on one full tank of liquid H2.

The GenH2 Truck’s propulsion system delivers 300 kilowatts, according to Daimler’s own claims. Moreover, it is also equipped with a battery that can provide short bursts of an additional 400 kilowatts for purposes such as climbing hills or when rapid acceleration is needed.

These hydrogen trucks are designed for power and range and are the result of a strong collaboration.

The battery has a 70-kilowatt-hour storage capacity. Though this may not sound like very much, it is adequate for using the kinetic energy the vehicle’s regenerative braking converts to electric charge.

Credit: Photo by depositphotos.com

Daimler worked with Air Liquide and Linde as suppliers for the H2 refueling services needed to operate the vehicle. Moreover, the automaker is also using H2 in its liquid form through some of the most advanced storage technologies in order to benefit from the advantages of using the liquid instead of pressurized gas, which is more commonly used.

Liquefied H2

When H2 is used as a liquid, more of energy can be transported per unit of volume when compared with what is available from H2 in its room temperature gaseous state. With a much higher energy density, it means that hydrogen trucks require smaller tanks while still achieving the same range or greater. By boosting the space savings and energy density, the vehicles have room for a larger payload.

The liquid H2 is available at special filling stations in Wörth am Rhein and in the Duisburg area in Germany, where it is kept at -253ºC.

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