H2Accelerate has published a policy paper examining how targeted measures could strengthen the commercial case for hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicles and accelerate their deployment across Europe.
The paper identifies three measures already being used in leading markets and assesses how their combined effect can narrow the total cost of ownership (TCO) gap between hydrogen and diesel trucks.
Germany and the Netherlands are highlighted as early markets where coordinated policy support is helping align investment in vehicles, hydrogen supply and refuelling infrastructure. The measures include RED III credit-trading mechanisms for renewable hydrogen, road-toll exemptions or reductions for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, and combined capital funding for hydrogen trucks and refuelling stations.
“Our recent joint announcement at IAA Transportation in September underlines the momentum now building around hydrogen trucking and, importantly, the need to develop the whole value chain together,” said Niklas Gustafsson, head of public policy and regulatory affairs at Volvo Group. “Germany is demonstrating what can be achieved when vehicle deployment, hydrogen supply, refuelling infrastructure and supportive policy are aligned.
“For fleet operators, the decisive factor is the business case. Measures such as renewable fuel credits, toll exemptions and coordinated support for trucks and stations can work together to substantially bridge the TCO gap with diesel. Creating similarly robust conditions across more European markets will be essential to give customers the confidence to invest and allow the hydrogen trucking ecosystem to continue to scale.”
H2Accelerate is a collaboration between Daimler Truck, Linde, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, TEAL Mobility, TotalEnergies and Volvo Group, working together to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen for long-haul trucking in Europe.
H2Accelerate proposes four measures for broader European implementation: RED III credit mechanisms for RFNBO hydrogen; road-toll exemptions aligned with the Eurovignette Directive; joint funding for hydrogen trucks and stations through future CEF AFIF funding rounds; and a TCO Parity Certainty Mechanism designed to address residual cost gaps and policy volatility.
“We are seeing hydrogen-powered trucks and infrastructure move beyond technology validation and towards real-world commercial deployment,” added Hannah Bryson-Jones, spokesperson for the H2Accelerate collaboration. “Germany and the Netherlands provide useful examples of how targeted support can improve the conditions for early projects and help vehicles and refuelling infrastructure scale together.
When these measures are combined, hydrogen trucks can achieve competitive total costs of ownership compared with diesel, as demonstrated in Germany. The priority now is to replicate the policies that are working at a broader scale and provide the long-term certainty needed for industry to scale towards a fully commercial hydrogen trucking system.”
The full paper can be downloaded from the H2Accelerate website here.
