Mercedes-Benz Trucks has brought its NextGenH2 Truck to IAA Transportation 2026 as it prepares to move around 100 liquid-hydrogen fuel-cell trucks into customer operations.
Daimler Truck says the NextGenH2 can travel well over 1,000 kilometres on a single filling. The vehicle uses liquid hydrogen and the cellcentric BZA150 fuel-cell system, while incorporating production components also used in the battery-electric eActros 600.
The first trucks from the small series are planned to enter customer operation from the end of 2026, with logistics company Dachser among the first users.
Why it matters in Australia
Battery-electric trucks are rapidly increasing their range, but Mercedes is continuing to invest in hydrogen for heavy long-haul work. For Australia, the technology question is therefore not simply battery versus diesel: it is whether a hydrogen production, distribution and refuelling network could ever make fuel-cell trucks commercially useful on long-distance freight corridors.
The truck remains a European customer-trial program; this is not an announcement of Australian availability.
Source: Daimler Truck, IAA Transportation 2026 press material.