Hydrogen trucks’ fuel cell is ready. Europe’s pumps aren’t
cellcentric is holding 16 hectares for a large fuel cell plant until 2029. CTO Nicholas Loughlan says it gets built when stations and fuel prices catch up
STUTTGART, Germany – Cellcentric’s newest fuel cell BZA375 fits in the engine bay of a 13-liter diesel truck. The plant where they are currently manufactured is located in Esslingen (in the greater Stuttgart area). The factory meant to build it at scale is being prepared. For now it sits as a reserved plot in an industrial park in the town of Weilheim an der Teck, Germany.
The joint venture of Daimler Truck and Volvo Group won’t build there until Europe has truck-sized hydrogen stations and fuel near €6 (about $6.70) per kilogram, so that end customers can operate fuel cell electric trucks, which have been proven in practice, in a cost-effective manner, its chief technology officer said. That leaves the timing of hydrogen trucking at scale with fuel suppliers, station builders and governments.
Nicholas Loughlan, cellcentric’s CTO, laid out that plan during a Sept. 17 media visit to the company’s headquarters in Kirchheim/Teck, near Stuttgart.
“You cannot just put a product out there and expect it to scale,” Loughlan said. “You need a whole ecosystem and infrastructure and a whole framework for it to work.”
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