Daimler Truck AG and Volvo Group plan to start series production of heavy-duty fuel cell commercial vehicles for demanding and heavy long-distance haulage in the second half of the decade. Rolls Royce is one of the first clients.
Daimler Truck AG establishes a new company Daimler Truck Fuel Cell GmbH & Co. KG that will later transition into a joint venture with Volvo Group. The new company will produce fuel cell commercial vehicles for long-distance haulage.
“The fuel cell is a crucial CO2-neutral solution for trucks in heavy long-distance transport. We and our future joint venture partner, Volvo Group, are convinced of this” – said Martin Daum, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG and Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG. – “We are determined to jointly tackle the development and series production of fuel cells and are now taking major steps with all the necessary preparations for the planned joint venture.”
Over the past two decades, Daimler has already built up considerable expertise in the field of fuel cells at its site in Nabern, Germany (currently the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell GmbH) and at other production and development facilities in Germany and Canada.
Planned cooperation with Rolls-Royce plc on stationary fuel cell systems
The cooperation planned between Daimler Truck AG and the British technology group Rolls-Royce plc in the field of stationary fuel cell systems demonstrates very specific opportunities for the commercialization of fuel cell technology through the planned joint venture with Volvo Group. Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division plans to use the fuel cell systems from the planned joint venture between Daimler Truck AG and Volvo Group and Daimler’s many years of expertise in this field for the emergency power generators of the MTU product and the solution brand that it develops and sells for data centres. A comprehensive cooperation agreement is to be prepared and signed by the end of the year.
Photo: Daimler