The Cologne-based company Hylane has brought the first hydrogen truck equipped with a Bosch fuel cell module into Germany’s road freight transport sector. The 40-ton truck from Iveco is operated by Schäflein and transports products for the Bosch plant in Nuremberg.
The vehicle is used within a usage-based rental model. Schäflein rents the truck from Hylane, which handles procurement, registration, maintenance, insurance and regulatory compliance. The truck is expected to cover around 12,000 kilometers per year on fixed routes.
Technical specifications: 800 kilometers range, 400 kilowatts system output
The fuel cell module for the Iveco truck comes from the Bosch plant in Stuttgart-Feuerbach. The vehicle has a range of up to 800 kilometers. Five hydrogen tanks with a pressure of 700 bar hold up to 70 kilograms of hydrogen.
The fuel cell system delivers over 200 kilowatts of power and supplies an electric axle. Two battery packs serve as energy buffers. The total output of the drive system is 400 kilowatts. The vehicle’s gross weight is up to 44 tons.
Real-world operation provides data for further development
In addition to reducing CO2 emissions, the operation also serves to collect data for the further development of fuel cell technology. The information gathered during operation is intended to feed into future drive systems.
The fuel cell module currently in use has been nominated for the Deutscher Zukunftspreis (German Future Prize). According to the company, this highlights the technical maturity of the solution.
Cross-industry partnership
“We are pleased that, together with Bosch and Schäflein, we can demonstrate how hydrogen mobility works in everyday life,” says Hylane Managing Director Dr. Sara Schiffer. The goal is to make zero-emission trucks available in a simple and economically viable way.
Andreas Hewel, Head of Fleet and Customer Operations at Hylane, adds: “The momentum and collaboration with Bosch and Schäflein were exceptional and show what is possible when companies from different industries and sectors work together on sustainable solutions.”
