The truck builder Daimler trucks wants to promote the export of clean hydrogen to Europe together with the green electricity producer Masdar from Abu Dhabi. The Dax group signed a letter of intent with Masdar on Thursday to examine the feasibility of exporting liquid hydrogen from the United Arab Emirates to Europe.
“We want to be a catalyst,” said Daimler boss Martin Daum (64). “We need verifiable proof for our customers that we will have green hydrogen available in 2030.” It’s not about being part of the value chain yourself – for example, paying for shipping or investing more in the refueling infrastructure.
One million tons of green hydrogen by 2030
The Arab company Masdar was founded in 2006 to produce renewable energy in the oil-producing country. The company has developed projects in more than 40 countries – worth more than 30 billion dollars. Masdar aims to produce one million tons of green hydrogen by 2030. To this end, the company ruled out partnerships with, among others, the hydrogen investor Hy24 and the oil giant Total France, the oil and gas company OMV and the electricity supplier Verbund AG from Austria. With this Masdar wants in Spain set up hydrogen production.
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (54; Greens) agreed on deliveries of so-called green hydrogen to Germany during a trip to the Gulf states in spring 2022. These are initially seen as a test run to establish a hydrogen value chain between Germany and the UAE. The valuable material, which is produced using electricity from wind and solar power, is intended to help reduce climate-damaging CO₂ emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and thus combat global warming. Daimler wants to ensure that enough of the sustainable fuel, which is also urgently needed in industry and shipping, is used to refuel trucks.
From 2030, Daimler Truck wants to sell at least 10,000 hydrogen trucks per year. They would need 100,000 tons of fuel per year alone. In order to meet EU regulations for reducing CO₂ emissions, Daimler Truck will have to sell around 50,000 electric trucks a year from 2030, said Daum.
Holcim orders 1,000 models
One of the most important models at Daimler Truck in this context is the eActros 600 for regional distribution and long-distance transport. The company only introduced the model in October last year. With its batteries, which have a total capacity of over 600 kWh, it should be able to cover 500 kilometers in one go. The start of series production of eActros 600 tractor units and platform chassis is scheduled for the end of 2024.
The company definitely already has a customer for it. The Swiss building materials producer Holcim has already ordered 1,000 units of the new model, as can be seen from the announcement by the Dax group on Thursday.
It is the largest planned single order for the model to date, according to Daimler Truck. A large proportion of the electric trucks at Holcim will be used to transport building materials such as cement.
In addition to battery-electric drives, Daimler Truck is also developing them with fuel cells that convert hydrogen into energy
. The Dax group has founded a joint venture with its Swedish rival Volvo for fuel cells. The Cellcentric joint venture is to build a fuel cell factory in Weilheim an der Teck.