Related Vendor

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

Traton, a subsidiary of VW, is seeking salvation solely in the battery, as it sees an unbeatable cost advantage in pure battery operation in the long run. On the other hand, Berylls analyst Stumpp believes in a permanent coexistence, where the circumstances will shift depending on the regional availability of electricity or hydrogen and the purpose of the vehicles.

Deep-frozen instead of gaseous

However, as if two development paths were not complicated enough, Daimler makes things even more complex by pursuing a dual strategy with fuel cells: Instead of opting for gaseous hydrogen like the competition (and also the passenger car segment), the Swabians favor the energy carrier deep-frozen and therefore liquid.

Only in this way does it provide the necessary energy density to actually pack 1,000 kilometers into the tank, argues Morlok. And although they would have to be extremely well insulated, the tanks are also cheaper than the carbon cylinders required for gaseous hydrogen.

The costs are not really an issue for him at the moment. Because if an eActros is already 2.5 times more expensive than a corresponding diesel truck, the fuel cell system is certainly not going to be cheaper for now, admits the project manager.

And there is another argument for the deep freeze chain, says Morlok: If we want to replace diesel with green energy sources, we will have to import hydrogen produced regeneratively from solar- or wind-rich countries, and hydrogen can only be imported in a sensible way in liquid form.

The lack of infrastructure is slowing the expansion

Since Daimler is well aware that their unique approach could be challenging, and because the fuel cell doesn't care whether the tank holds liquid or gaseous hydrogen, the Swabians are testing two different versions of the Actros around the Brenner Pass: one carries 18 kilograms of gas in its tanks, and Kauffmann's Actros runs on two tanks of 40 kilograms of liquid hydrogen at -253 degrees Celsius.

While the Actros needs to return to the fuel pump with gas cartridges after each round, Kauffmann can make multiple trips up and down the Brenner with his cryogenic tank – especially when traffic starts to flow on the A13, enabling him to recuperate a lot of energy on the way down and feed it back into the buffer battery.

The fact that the test driver now has to return to the factory has no technical reason, but a practical one: there simply is no other fuel station for his truck. Whether it's battery or fuel cell technology, the industry, as market observers expect, will bring the technology to production readiness in the second half of the decade.

However, he considers it unlikely that the infrastructure will grow at the same pace, especially after the experiences with passenger cars. Moreover, commercial vehicles can hardly benefit from the car network. The charging stations lack sufficient power and are often inaccessible to large trucks. And even if there are hydrogen refueling stations available, the pressure might be 350 instead of 700 bars, not to mention the challenges with liquid hydrogen supply.

"Over time, just like in passenger cars, there will be no more diesel in trucks."

Stumpp is therefore not particularly euphoric when looking at the green freight industry. On the contrary, he does not see an alternative to diesel in the long haul in the short term. However, in the medium term, both battery-electric vehicles and fuel cells will increasingly become more important, the expert believes.

The further he looks ahead, the brighter his expression becomes: "Eventually, just like in passenger cars, there will be no more diesel in trucks - either because it is completely banned or simply no longer affordable.