MAN Truck & Bus has announced plans to become the first European truck manufacturer to launch a series of hydrogen-powered trucks.
The initially small series will consist of around 200 units to be delivered to customers in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland and selected non-European countries from 2025.
Named the MAN hTGX, the model will offer an alternative zero-emission drive for the transportation of heavy goods. Its use will include special applications such as construction work, tank transport and timber transport. It may also be used as an alternative to battery-electric trucks in areas without sufficient charging infrastructure or in markets with a suitable hydrogen supply.
Meanwhile, MAN remains set to commence deliveries of its battery-electric truck in 2024. The company has also been a market leader for electric city buses in Europe since 2023.
Friedrich Baumann, Executive Board Member of MAN Truck & Bus said:We are continuing to focus on battery-electric vehicles to decarbonise road freight transport. These currently have clear advantages over other drive concepts in terms of energy efficiency and operating and energy costs. However, trucks powered by hydrogen combustion engines are a useful addition for special applications and markets.
We anticipate that we will be able to best serve the vast majority of our customers' transport applications with battery-powered trucks. For special applications, hydrogen combustion or, in the future, fuel cell technology is a suitable supplement. The hydrogen combustion engine H45 is based on the proven D38 diesel engine and is produced at the engine and battery plant in Nuremberg. The use of familiar technology enables us to enter the market at an early stage and thus provides a decisive impetus for the ramp-up of the hydrogen infrastructure. With the hTGX, we have now added an attractive product to our zero-emission portfolio.
Specifically, a hydrogen drive may be particularly suitable for transport tasks that require a special axle configuration or where there is no space for the battery on the frame.
The MAN hTGX offers high payloads and has a maximum range of up to 600 kilometres. It will initially be offered in 6×2 and 6×4 axle variants.
The H45 hydrogen combustion engine used has an output of 383 kW or 520 hp and a torque of 2500 Nm at 900-1300 rpm. The direct injection of hydrogen into the engine ensures fast power delivery.
With hydrogen compressed to 700 bar (CG H2) and a tank capacity of 56 kilograms, the vehicle can be refuelled in less than 15 minutes.
Dr Frederik Zohm, Executive Board Member for Research & Development said:The new CO2 regulations at EU level will classify trucks with hydrogen combustion engines as zero-emission vehicles. This means that such vehicles fully contribute to our CO2 fleet targets, which also opens the door for this small series that complements battery electric vehicles.
At MAN's Nuremberg site, we have the most innovative engine technology and decades of experience in the use of hydrogen as a fuel. We are utilising this and presenting a real MAN with the MAN hTGX. The new hydrogen combustion truck is based on the tried-and-tested TG vehicle series and impresses with the highest quality and uncomplicated maintenance.
