Scania, Hyundai and Hyliko join H2Accelerate as Iveco and Shell exit
Europe's flagship hydrogen truck project has restructured after Iveco Group and Shell withdrew. Three new partners join Volvo Group to deploy 125 fuel cell trucks across six countries.
The H2Accelerate TRUCKS project has reshaped its consortium after Iveco Group and Shell exited the EU-funded hydrogen truck initiative. Three new partners - Scania Pilot Partner, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility Germany and French operator Hyliko - have joined alongside Volvo Group.
The consortium now aims to deploy 125 fuel cell trucks across six European countries, down from the 150 trucks across nine member states envisaged when the Clean Hydrogen Partnership awarded €30 million in funding in March 2023.
Volvo Group has "significantly renewed its engagement" and committed to an increased number of vehicles, according to the consortium, with the first trucks expected to enter operation during 2026.
The incoming partners bring varied levels of operational experience. Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility claims 18 million km driven across its European XCIENT fuel cell fleet - it says the most of any hydrogen truck programme on the continent.
Scania Pilot Partner sits at the other end of the scale, having revealed its first hydrogen FCEV truck only in November 2025; the vehicles are not yet available to order and remain part of a testing programme with Norwegian logistics firm Asko.
Hyliko, meanwhile, operates a hydrogen truck-as-a-service model in France using primarily retrofitted vehicles, and opened its first centre of excellence near Paris in 2024.
The trucks themselves will be equipped with 700 bar hydrogen storage offering ranges above 600 km between refuelling stops.
The fleet will include 41-44 tonne articulated models for long-haul operations alongside rigid trucks with 350 bar storage for regional distribution, and more than 20 European operators will participate in real-world testing.
On the infrastructure side, TEAL Mobility - the TotalEnergies and Air Liquide joint venture that joined the broader H2Accelerate collaboration in 2024 - is now supporting the TRUCKS project directly.
The company currently operates 15 hydrogen stations across France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, with five more planned for 2026 in Mulhouse, Duisburg, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Berlin.
TotalEnergies and Everfuel remain as refuelling partners, and stations will aim to offer dispensing capacity above 1,000 kg per day using green hydrogen where possible.
"The strengthened consortium and recommitment to large-scale deployment demonstrate the resilience of Europe's hydrogen mobility ecosystem and its ability to adapt to evolving market conditions," said Mirela Atanasiu, Head of Unit Operations and Communication at the Clean Hydrogen Partnership.
