Dachser to Drive First Mercedes Hydrogen Trucks

Dachser will operate three Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 liquid hydrogen trucks from December 2026, the first commercial fleet use.

10 Jun 2026

Europe’s hydrogen trucking sector cleared a significant milestone when Daimler Truck confirmed on June 9, 2026, that logistics provider Dachser would become the first commercial operator of the Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 hydrogen fuel cell truck. Three vehicles are scheduled to begin service at Dachser’s Karlsruhe logistics centre in late December 2026, with two additional units entering operations by mid-2027.

The NextGenH2 stores liquid hydrogen at minus 253 degrees Celsius, enabling a range exceeding 1,000 kilometres per fill. Refuelling takes between 10 and 15 minutes. The vehicle pairs cellcentric’s BZA150 fuel cell system with battery-electric components drawn from the eActros 600, allowing energy recovery during downhill driving and braking.

Dachser’s decision reflects confidence in hydrogen as a complement to battery-electric systems rather than a replacement. The company already operates more than 190 battery-electric vehicles across its network, including multiple eActros 600 models. Long-distance freight routes, where charging time constraints are most acute, are the intended application for the hydrogen trucks. The Karlsruhe facility sits roughly 30 kilometres from the Wörth plant, where liquid hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is already in place.

The broader network remains thin. TEAL Mobility, the joint venture between TotalEnergies and Air Liquide, ended 2025 with 15 hydrogen stations across five European countries. Five additional locations are planned for 2026, including Duisburg, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Berlin, and Mulhouse. That expansion would strengthen commercial viability of hydrogen fleet operations, addressing one of the persistent barriers that delayed earlier trials. The Dachser deployment represents the first of a planned 100-unit small series that Daimler Truck intends to deliver through 2026, with volume production scheduled for the early 2030s.