Daimler Truck AG and KEYOU GmbH will collaborate to bring hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines to market readiness as a complementary drive solution for road freight transport. The aim of the partnership is to provide technology that is available in the near term, economically viable, and robust, complementing existing decarbonized drive solutions. Daimler Truck’s existing vehicle and engine variants will form the technical basis for rapid implementation and market introduction. KEYOU will be responsible for the hydrogen conversion, with service providers of the Munich-based company adapting vehicles and engines accordingly. Market launch is planned for 2027. A corresponding agreement has now been signed by the parties.

“The road freight transport sector requires different drive solutions for different applications. Hydrogen can be used to power both fuel cells and internal combustion engines. By working with KEYOU, we are partnering with a specialized company to bring hydrogen combustion technology to market quickly and efficiently,” said Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck responsible for Truck Technology.

Thomas Korn, CEO and Co-founder of KEYOU GmbH said, “The partnership with Daimler Truck is an important step for us to bring our KEYOU-inside technology into industrial application. Together, we can significantly accelerate the development and scaling of hydrogen-based drive solutions in the commercial vehicle sector and thus make a tangible contribution to decarbonizing heavy-duty transport.”

Partnership instead of in-house development. Daimler Truck has extensive expertise in the development of internal combustion engines and has been exploring hydrogen combustion for several years as part of its advanced engineering activities. For market introduction, the company is deliberately opting for a partnership model.

KEYOU specializes in converting existing engine platforms to run on hydrogen and follows an approach based on proven series-production vehicles. Through this division of tasks, Daimler Truck can optimize development efforts while enabling rapid market readiness.

In addition to vehicle development, long-term customer support is also a key focus of the collaboration for KEYOU. As a next step, KEYOU and Daimler Truck plan to hold discussions on how existing service and maintenance structures could be leveraged in the future to provide fleet operators with a high level of operational reliability and availability.

Through this collaboration, both companies are establishing the foundation for a long-term industrial partnership in the field of hydrogen-based commercial vehicle powertrains. The cooperation is deliberately designed to go beyond a pure technology partnership.

How the partnership model will be implemented. Under the agreement, Daimler Truck plans to sell Mercedes-Benz Actros L 1848 tractor units and engines manufactured in Mannheim based on the existing 12,8-litre engine platform to KEYOU.  Munich based KEYOU will be responsible for adapting these to hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines. The technical conversion of the trucks and integration of the KEYOU-inside engines will then take place in cooperation with qualified external conversion partners.

The resulting tractor unit, the KEYOU HICE.40, is designed for a gross vehicle weight of 40 tons and, thanks to the 350-bar compressed hydrogen technology. According to the manufacturer, it is expected to achieve a range of up to 650 kilometers. With a power output of up to 350 kW and a port fuel injection (PFI) system, it is expected to offer a proven and powerful solution for demanding freight transport. In the long term, this technology can also be adapted to additional vehicle models.

KEYOU will subsequently offer the vehicles to customers – potentially also in combination with developing hydrogen refueling infrastructure, which is being supported, among others, by funding programs of the German Federal Ministry of Transport. This could help stimulate demand for hydrogen as well as the corresponding infrastructure. Daimler Truck supports the development of hydrogen refueling stations capable of dispensing both gaseous and liquid hydrogen, allowing all common hydrogen forms to be offered at a single station - similar to gasoline and diesel stations today. This integrated approach supports the development of a unified infrastructure and reduces costs through higher utilization. Today’s internal combustion engines require gaseous hydrogen. However, a technical evolution toward liquid hydrogen is also conceivable, as already demonstrated by Daimler Truck in its fuel cell trucks. This integrated approach makes it easier for customers to transition to hydrogen-based transport.

From the end of 2027 onwards, hydrogen combustion engine trucks can thus be introduced to the market at scale, making a sustainable and measurable contribution to the decarbonization of road freight transport.

Two technologies, one goal: Decarbonizing road freight transport. Daimler Truck is pursuing a dual strategy to decarbonize its vehicle portfolio, with both battery-electric and hydrogen-based drive technologies. Battery-electric trucks are particularly suitable for predictable routes, including heavy-duty long-haul transport, and therefore cover a large share of customer applications. Fuel cell technology offers advantages, particularly in flexible and demanding long-haul operations. Combined with liquid hydrogen, ranges of well over 1,000 km can be achieved with short refueling times.

Hydrogen internal combustion engines, on the other hand, are characterized by high robustness, lower system complexity compared with fuel cells, and minimal adaption requirements to existing vehicle architectures. They are also particularly suited for applications with high payload requirements. Due to their compact design that can be fitted into existing engine space and the ability to leverage existing industrial structures, this technology can be implemented cost-efficiently. Trucks powered by fuel cells or hydrogen combustion engines thus represent a meaningful complement to battery-electric trucks from a customer perspective.

Moreover, hydrogen will play a key role in decarbonizing numerous sectors of the economy, including the steel industry and almost all energy-intensive industries. At the same time, existing challenges related to infrastructure and energy availability underline the need for hydrogen in road freight transport. As electrification progresses in Europe, the power grid is becoming increasingly strained. Expanding the high-voltage grid involves significant time and investment. A parallel build-up of electricity and hydrogen infrastructure would be faster and more cost-efficient.

Against the backdrop of recent geopolitical developments and Europe’s continued high dependence on fossil energy imports – currently more than 50% of primary energy in the form of coal, oil, and gas – hydrogen can contribute to diversifying the energy supply. As a globally tradable, renewable, and virtually inexhaustible energy carrier, hydrogen has the potential to enhance energy security and relieve the energy system. Additionally, hydrogen can make a significant contribution to strengthening competitiveness in road freight transport: Europe’s industrial base, technological expertise, and manufacturing capabilities provide a strong foundation to further expand its position in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and to secure long-term value creation.