Dachser Takes the First Trucks

Dachser will be the first customer to put production Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 hydrogen fuel-cell tractors into service, with the first trucks scheduled to enter operation in December 2026.

The German logistics company plans to deploy three cabover tractors at its Karlsruhe logistics center first, followed by two more trucks by mid-2027. The trucks are intended for long-distance freight routes, where battery-electric charging time and range can still be limiting factors.

Range and Refueling Are the Pitch

Daimler Truck says the NextGenH2 can travel more than 1,000 kilometers, or more than 620 miles, when both liquid hydrogen tanks are full. The company is using liquid hydrogen refueling technology developed with Linde that it says can fill the truck in about 10 to 15 minutes.

The first Dachser trucks will operate near Mercedes-Benz's Woerth plant, where the required liquid-hydrogen fueling infrastructure is being built. Daimler plans to build 100 small-series NextGenH2 trucks at the plant by the end of 2026.

Still a Long Runway

The launch does not mean hydrogen tractors are ready for broad fleet rollout. Daimler now targets series production in the early 2030s, later than the end-of-decade timing it previously expected, because hydrogen fueling infrastructure is developing more slowly than planned.

For fleets, the useful signal is where the technology is likely to fit first: long-haul routes with predictable lanes, high utilization, and access to dedicated refueling. The Dachser rollout gives hydrogen a real freight-duty test, but it also shows how closely zero-emission truck adoption still depends on infrastructure.

Alternative Fuels

Daimler's NextGenH2 Gets First Dachser Launch

Fleet Desk Weekly