Daimler Truck AG and BP Advanced Mobility Limited have announced plans to work together to help accelerate the introduction of a hydrogen network, supporting the roll-out of a key technology for the decarbonisation of UK freight transport.
They intend to pilot both the development of hydrogen infrastructure and the introduction of hydrogen-powered fuel-cell trucks in the UK.
Under their memorandum of understanding (MoU), BP will assess the feasibility of designing, constructing, operating and supplying a network of up to 25 hydrogen refuelling stations across the UK by 2030.
These stations would be supplied by BP with ‘green’ hydrogen – generated from water using renewable power. Complementing this, Daimler Truck expects to deliver hydrogen-powered fuel-cell trucks to its UK customers from 2025.
Karin Rådström, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Member of the Board of Management at Daimler Truck, said: “We are consistently pursuing our vision of CO2-neutral transport. Especially for CO2-neutral long-haul road transportation, the hydrogen-powered fuel-cell drive will become indispensable in the future.
“Together with BP, we want to jointly develop and scale the required hydrogen infrastructure by putting our hydrogen-powered fuel-cell trucks into our customers’ hand and thus supporting the decarbonisation of the UK freight network. At the same time, political support plays an important role in promoting the creation of an infrastructure for green hydrogen and making an economically viable use of fuel-cell trucks possible for our customers.”
Emma Delaney, BP’s executive vice president for customer and products, said: “Hydrogen is critical to decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors – and for heavy and long-distance freight it is sometimes the only answer. Working with a leading manufacturer like Daimler Truck, we can accelerate the deployment of both vehicles and infrastructure and pioneer the use of hydrogen to fuel the next generation of UK freight.
“From producing and supplying hydrogen through to building and operating the fuelling stations, BP is perfectly positioned to transform transport and ultimately build a better energy future.”
Image: courtesy Daimler
