The Man hTGX trucks, powered by hydrogen internal combustion engines (ICE), will be operated by the industrial gas major’s local logistics partner, Schenk Tanktransport.
The rollout has been supported by the Dutch government’s SWiM subsidy scheme, which helps pay for the trucks and hydrogen refuelling, reducing the upfront cost gap and making operations more viable.
“The implementation of these first hydrogen trucks in our operations is a powerful and concrete example of our commitment to lead the transformation of the heavy-duty transport sector with our various partners along the value chain,” explained Erwin Penfornis, Air Liquide’s VP Hydrogen Energy.
Air Liquide and Schenk already collaborate across Europe. Earlier this year, they signed a long-term UK-based gas logistics contract and a joint plant to deploy 19 hydrogen-powered trucks between 2025 and 2027.
In Rotterdam, Air Liquide operates hydrogen infrastructure in Rotterdam, including blue and green hydrogen developments.
For example, it’s developing a 200MW ELYgator electrolyser at Maasvlakte.
The companies have not disclosed the hydrogen source that will power the trucks.
EU must scale hydrogen trucking and refuelling to hit €8/kg by 2030: GHMA
The Global Hydrogen Mobility Alliance (GHMA) claims hydrogen trucking can reach €8/kg by 2030, a level that would bring it close to cost parity with diesel and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs).
But Europe must abandon the pilot mentality and back large-scale liquid hydrogen stations with flexible early sourcing for that to happen.
According to GHMA’s new Market Activation Strategy report, the focus should be on building hydrogen refuelling stations with capacities of up to four tonnes per day.
The Alliance, backed by major players like Toyota, BMW, and Linde, noted that small stations, typically below 0.5 tonnes per day, have struggled, often operating at less than 20% utilisation and proving uneconomical.
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