Feature, Freight News, Logistics, Road


Hydrogen could be the future of long-haul trucking, says Dachser

[ June 9, 2026   //   ]

German forwarding and logistics company Dachser has taken delivery of a next-generation hydrogen truck, becoming the first company in the world to put the new Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 into service: It will start using its first tractor featuring innovative liquid hydrogen technology at the end of December 2026 with another two of the same model following by mid-2027. The vehicles will be based at Dachser’s Karlsruhe logistics centre and will operate primarily long-distance transport, where they will be able to demonstrate their range and flexibility. The branch is only 30km from the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth, which has liquid hydrogen refuelling facilities.

They H2s the first of a series of 100 vehicles that Daimler Truck will deliver to selected customers starting at the end of December 2026. Volume production is scheduled to start in the early 2030s.

Dachser chief development office Stefan Hohm, said that while battery-electric trucks have “come on in leaps and bounds in recent years” getting sufficient grid connection capacity for them remains a major challenge. Dachser has over 190 e-trucks in daily use.

“Fuel-cell trucks with liquid hydrogen could supplement Dachser’s e-truck fleet in the future—especially when very long ranges or short refuelling times are called for,” Hohm added.

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