Hydrogen Infra First, Trucks Later: Daimler CEO

Daimler Truck wants hydrogen refuelling infrastructure to start taking shape before its fuel-cell trucks enter series production, as it seeks to avoid the infrastructure bottleneck that has complicated the transition to zero-emission trucking.

Speaking exclusively to Autocar Professional at IAA Transportation, Daimler Truck CEO Karin Rådström said work has already begun with partners on liquid-hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.

“We don’t have the trucks yet in series production, but we’re already now really working also in different constellations to start building fuelling stations for liquid hydrogen, so that we don’t end up in that situation again,” Rådström said.

Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 Truck Rollout Timeline

Daimler Truck plans to put a small series of 100 Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 trucks into customer operations from the end of 2026, while series production of fuel-cell trucks is targeted for the early 2030s.

Daimler Truck's Partner-First Hydrogen Infrastructure Strategy

The early infrastructure push reflects a lesson from the battery-electric transition, where the availability of vehicles and charging infrastructure has not always moved at the same pace.

“If you have an ambition to be decarbonised, you need to start thinking very early on about the infrastructure,” Rådström said.

Daimler Truck does not, however, see operating hydrogen infrastructure as its long-term core business. Rådström said the company is primarily looking to work with partners.

“I think we are looking at it more with partners. I mean, our business is to build trucks,” she said.

She also left open the possibility of Daimler Truck participating directly in projects alongside partners.

“I don’t exclude that we will do something together with partners also on the hydrogen side, but long term, I think it’s not where we see our future business,” Rådström said.

Daimler Truck Joins Volvo, Toyota and Bosch on Hydrogen Ecosystem

The approach is already taking shape. Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, Toyota, Bosch and others are working together to develop a hydrogen ecosystem for heavy-duty transport, including refuelling infrastructure along key European corridors aligned with the deployment of hydrogen truck fleets.

For battery-electric trucks, Daimler Truck has already taken a similar partnership route through Milence, the charging joint venture with the Volvo Group and Traton Group.

For hydrogen, the sequencing is deliberate: start developing the fuel and refuelling ecosystem before large-scale truck volumes arrive, rather than waiting for one side of the market to create demand for the other.