Dachser is beginning practical tests of zero-emission drive technologies in trucks. In 2023, the company plans to put two hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) trucks into operation in Germany. A 27-ton Hyundai Xcient truck will hit the roads in Magdeburg, while a 19-ton Enginius Bluepower will handle deliveries in the center of Hamburg.
Operation of the Hyundai Xcient hydrogen fuel cell truck in Magdeburg is scheduled to begin in early 2023. The vehicle, with a gross vehicle weight of 27 tons and a capacity of 18 pallets, has a range of up to 400 kilometers, meaning it can operate on two shifts. It will be driven by professional drivers who are completing their training at Dachser this year. While the vehicle will be tested during the day in regional distribution in the Magdeburg area, it will operate at night on a line-haul route to the Dachser branch in Berlin-Schönefeld. For night operations, the zero-emission vehicle will be equipped with a set of swap-body trailers. By the time the truck is delivered, appropriate hydrogen refueling infrastructure will be established near the two Dachser branches in Magdeburg and Berlin.
“As part of research conducted jointly with the Kempten University of Applied Sciences, we have already determined that there is significant potential for hydrogen-powered trucks in the European Dachser groupage network. We look forward to introducing the first vehicles of this type, as they will allow us to gather valuable practical experience,” says Stefan Hohm, Chief Development Officer (CDO) and member of the Dachser Executive Board.
Dachser’s partner in this project is H2 Delivery Truck Pool GmbH & Co. KG from Magdeburg. The company is part of H2 Green Power & Logistics GmbH, which presented the logistics of hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles with the Hyundai Xcient FCEV truck during its roadshow in eleven German cities at the end of 2021.
Emission-free deliveries in Hamburg
From mid-2023, Dachser will use the Bluepower 1938 FCEV truck from Bremen-based Enginius – a subsidiary of the Faun Group – for deliveries in the center of Hamburg. The vehicle will complement the DACHSER Emission-Free Delivery concept, which is set to be introduced in this German city as early as autumn 2022. The Bluepower 1938 has a gross vehicle weight of 19 tons and can carry up to 18 pallets thanks to its box body. Its estimated range of 250 kilometers plus a reserve is ideal for city center deliveries, and it also offers very high recuperation potential. Refueling is to take place at a hydrogen refueling station in Hamburg’s HafenCity.