Daimler Truck Enters Hydrogen ICE Arena With Keyou Deal

Daimler Truck has partnered with Keyou to offer hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine tractors in Europe as early as 2027. The partnership adds hydrogen combustion to Daimler Truck’s 2027 powertrain lineup, which already includes diesel, battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and natural gas options. Keyou will convert Mercedes-Benz Actros L 1848 tractors first, with the resulting Keyou HICE.40 expected to achieve a range of up to 650 kilometers or just more than 400 miles. Daimler Truck believes trucks with hydrogen ICE powertrains are robust and have lower system complexity compared to fuel cells, making them suitable for applications with high payload requirements. The company also plans to build 100 NextGenH2 fuel cell trucks by 2026, with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers. 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.