Trucking coalition advocates German model for hydrogen-diesel parity | Mobility

H2Accelerate has outlined three policy mechanisms it claims could reduce the per-kilometre total cost of ownership (TCO) of hydrogen-fuelled trucks to below €1 ($1.14).

The trucking coalition highlighted a green hydrogen credit trading mechanism, toll exemptions, and funding for trucks and refuelling stations as already having a “significant impact” on economics for fleet operators.

Using Germany’s GHG Quotas, state funding and toll exemptions as precedent, the group said implementing the measures bloc-wide alongside TCO parity measures could reduce TCO/km from €222 ($252) to €0.96 ($1.09).

Simultaneously, additional road tolls for diesel trucks could increase their TCO/km from €0.69 ($0.78) to €100 ($114), aiding the economic case for hydrogen fuel.

The findings, released in a policy-paper series, mirror sentiment recently conveyed to H2 View by Air Liquide, which said that hydrogen mobility measures imposed in Germany could allow RFNBO-fuelled trucking to reach parity with diesel operations.

A group featuring Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, Toyota, Bosch, and major hydrogen suppliers also recently urged European governments to duplicate Germany’s policy framework.

Niklas Gustafsson, Head of Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Volvo Group, praised the country’s policy model and momentum.

“Creating similarly robust conditions across more European markets will be essential to give customers the confidence to invest and allow the hydrogen trucking ecosystem to continue to scale,” he said.

H2Accelerate also claimed technology progression is helping to close the TCO gap, with new fuel cell systems able to use less than 6kg of hydrogen per 100km, reducing fuel costs by around 20%, using a benchmark subsidised pump price of €8/kg ($9.08) of hydrogen.

This is despite recent EU data showing hydrogen as the most expensive transport fuel on a per-kilometre basis across the EU. Across 17 member states, hydrogen ranged between €10.53 ($12.32) and €20.62 ($24.13) per 100km, compared to €2.6 ($2.93) to €11.78 ($13.78) for electric, and €6.2 ($7.26) to €10.66 ($12.47) for petrol and diesel.

The paper comes amid fears that binding renewable fuel of non-biological origin (RFNBO) mandates could be axed, following a leaked proposal for an EU-wide consumption target in their place.

More than 170 companies recently urged the EU to retain the binding mandates or risk years of development.

While hydrogen’s role in transport more broadly remains unclear, heavy-duty, long-haul transport is emerging as a favourable use case, with majors paying increasing attention to the end-use, as using the molecule to power passenger vehicles loses traction.