Mercedes-Benz celebrates 140 years with the launch of its hydrogen truck for zero-emission transport

In the year of its 140th anniversary, Mercedes-Benz, a brand synonymous with mobility innovation since 1886, is not only looking back at its glorious past but also defining the future of heavy-duty transport. Daimler Truck has unveiled the Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 Truck, a fuel cell truck that uses liquid hydrogen (LH₂) and will set the course for the company’s next era. This launch symbolizes the transition from a legacy based on the combustion engine toward the new challenges of decarbonization and climate neutrality.

The strategy materializes with a pragmatic approach: a small “pre-series” run of just 100 units to be delivered to real customers starting in late 2026. This limited batch, manufactured at the Wörth plant, is not a laboratory exercise; its purpose is to demonstrate operational viability on long-distance routes and gather crucial data. With this move, Mercedes-Benz underscores that, after almost a century and a half, its mission is to lead the technological revolution demanded by the climate urgency.

The bet on liquid hydrogen, stored at -253 °C, responds to the need for ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometers and refueling times of just 10-15 minutes, critical parameters for international transport. The NextGenH2 incorporates two 150 kW fuel cells (300 kW total) and an auxiliary LFP battery, offering performance that aims to match current operations, but with zero tailpipe emissions.

The design, derived from the electric eActros 600, prioritizes aerodynamics, safety with hydrogen-specific systems, and compatibility with European regulations. After passing demanding tests in the Alps, this truck represents the technological bridge toward series production planned for the next decade, consolidating hydrogen as a complementary solution to battery electric.

Thus, on its 140th anniversary, Mercedes-Benz is not just commemorating, but accelerating. The NextGenH2 is the statement that the future of sustainable heavy-duty transport is already underway, and that the brand aspires to write, with the same determination as a century and a half ago, the next chapter of global mobility.

Celebrating 140 years of pioneering legacy, from the patent of the first automobile by Karl Benz in 1886, Mercedes-Benz commemorates not just an anniversary, but the constant reinvention of its mission. This anniversary, marked by the launch of the NextGenH2 hydrogen truck, symbolizes the transition from a century and a half of leadership in combustion engines to the forefront of decarbonization, demonstrating that its innovative tradition is now the primary tool to confront the urgent climate challenges of global transport.