The European Commission has set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) by 45% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. Meeting these targets depends heavily on the use of zero-emission vehicles such as battery and hydrogen-powered trucks, warns H2Accelerate – a collaboration of automotive and energy companies including Volvo Group, Daimler Truck, IVECO and Shell, working together to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen-powered road transport in Europe.
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) estimates that tens of thousands of hydrogen vehicles will need to be on European roads by 2030, alongside robust hydrogen production and refuelling infrastructure.
The European Commission has taken steps to support the hydrogen trucking sector by implementing the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), mandating zero-emission refuelling infrastructure through the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation, and providing funding via schemes like the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Fund. Despite these positive signals, uncertainty about the long-term business viability of hydrogen trucks continues to hinder large-scale investments.
A recent report, “The Future of European Competitiveness”, authored by former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, recognises hydrogen’s critical role in both decarbonising transport and maintaining Europe’s competitiveness. The report advocates for further EU support through renewable fuel programmes, such as CEF AFIF and the European Hydrogen Bank.
Industry perspective: barriers to progress
“We are committed to realising the hydrogen trucking ecosystem, but we need to do this together with governments, through strong policy support,” Gustafsson said. “Recognition from all stakeholders on the challenges we are facing and the changes needed to resolve them is urgently needed,” said Niklas Gustafsson, Head of Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs at Volvo Group.
While the European Commission has made progress, members of the H2Accelerate collaboration have identified several key areas constraining the implementation of hydrogen as a fuel for HDVs. Their recommendations include:
- Joint funding for hydrogen refuelling stations and trucks
- Coordination of refuelling infrastructure across member states
- Guarantees on the availability of renewable hydrogen via the European Hydrogen Bank and RED mandates
- Financial incentives to make the total cost of ownership for hydrogen trucks competitive with diesel, including increased carbon taxes, credits for green hydrogen, and reduced road tolls and taxes for zero-emission vehicles
- A commitment to consistent regulatory frameworks aligned with decarbonisation goals
Call for immediate action
H2Accelerate believes that these policy measures are critical for the large-scale production and deployment of hydrogen lorries and the necessary infrastructure. Without swift action, it will be difficult to meet the 45% CO2 reduction target by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Hannah Bryson-Jones, spokesperson for H2Accelerate, warned that time is running short.
“Hydrogen as fuel for heavy-duty road transport is still in the early stages of scale-up, and investing in this technology currently presents a huge risk for companies. With just over five years until 2030, we cannot afford to hold back investment in technological innovation and infrastructure build-out due to uncertainty on the long-term business case,” she said.