Air Liquide has announced the roll-out of its first hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks for its activities in the Netherlands. This new initiative reinforces Air Liquide's commitment to decarbonising transportation and accelerating the shift toward sustainable and low-carbon mobility solutions.
The first two MAN hTGX trucks, powered by hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2 ICE), will be operated by Air Liquide's local logistics partner, Schenk Tanktransport, a provider of sustainable logistics across the Benelux. The trucks will be integrated into Air Liquide's existing distribution network in order to replace conventional vehicles. This new fleet will deliver hydrogen to customers across the greater Rotterdam area. By using hydrogen as a fuel source, Air Liquide will reduce its operational CO2 emissions in this region.
For the demanding requirements of heavy-duty transport, hydrogen offers a compelling value proposition. It uniquely combines the core operational benefits of conventional vehicles – fast refuelling and long-range capability – with the environmental advantage of eliminating carbon emissions at the tailpipe. This allows logistics operators to maintain high vehicle availability and payload capacity, ensuring a seamless transition to sustainable freight without compromising on performance.
The deployment of this project is directly linked to and supported by the Dutch government's SWiM (Subsidie Waterstof in Mobiliteit) funding scheme. This programme helps make hydrogen mobility competitive by closing the initial cost gap. It works by simultaneously providing funding for both the purchase of the vehicles and the refuelling infrastructure. This strategic approach helps create viable local ecosystems for sustainable solutions, building a model that could be replicated elsewhere to decarbonise road transportation more broadly.
Erwin Penfornis, Vice President, Hydrogen Energy world business line, stated: "At Air Liquide, we believe sustainability demands action. The implementation of these first hydrogen trucks in our operations is a powerful and concrete example of our commitment to lead the transformation of the heavy-duty transport sector with our various partners along the value chain. We are proud to take this decisive step in The Netherlands and we look forward to broadening our hydrogen-powered logistics solutions across our network."