From Cars to Cargo: Europe’s Hydrogen Pivot

As automakers pull back, hydrogen finds new strength in trucks, buses, and green steel

16 Oct 2025

Europe’s hydrogen industry is entering a new phase as automakers scale back and industrial players take the lead in heavy transport and green manufacturing. Once focused on passenger cars, the sector is now consolidating around trucks, buses, and low-carbon steelmaking.

The turning point came with Stellantis’s withdrawal from the passenger hydrogen market in mid-2025. The automaker’s exit pushed its joint venture, Symbio, to concentrate on heavier vehicles and stationary power systems. “The hydrogen market is growing up,” said a spokesperson for Hydrogen Europe. “Companies are chasing scale, not just visibility.”

That shift is visible across the continent. Ballard Power Systems this autumn introduced fuel cell units designed for trucks and buses, with emphasis on durability and total ownership costs, priorities for fleet operators seeking reliability and efficiency. Infrastructure providers such as H2 Mobility Deutschland and Denmark’s Everfuel are also reorienting their networks toward high-traffic freight corridors, closing or repurposing low-use public refuelling sites.

Investment in industrial applications is gathering pace. Stegra, previously H2 Green Steel, is pursuing over $1bn in new financing for its hydrogen-based steel plant in northern Sweden, which has faced cost increases and construction delays. Despite these setbacks, the project remains a bellwether for hydrogen’s role in Europe’s energy transition, reflecting strong investor appetite for large-scale decarbonisation technologies.

Policy support is also deepening. Germany has expanded its H2Global subsidy scheme, while the EU Hydrogen Bank is providing a framework for long-term price stability. Analysts expect these measures to trigger a wave of new partnerships and cross-border projects aimed at securing hydrogen supply chains.

Europe’s hydrogen sector, once dominated by pilots and prototypes, is moving toward commercial deployment. With industrial players stepping forward and governments reinforcing demand, the continent’s hydrogen ambitions are shifting from promise to production. For an industry long criticised for slow progress, its future now appears firmly tied to heavy industry’s energy needs.