75 Metres Up on Hydrogen: Holthausen Builds Unique Zero-Emission Aerial Platform for Siesling

A Truck That Reaches 75 Metres — On Hydrogen

Holthausen Clean Technology from Hoogezand has delivered a remarkable vehicle: a Ruthmann truck-mounted aerial work platform with a working height of 75 metres, fully converted to hydrogen fuel cell propulsion. The client is Siesling BV from Eelde, one of the largest providers of specialist cleaning and aerial platform rental in the northern Netherlands.

It is likely the world's first hydrogen-powered aerial work platform combining this size and working height with fully zero-emission drive.

A Technical Challenge of Scale

Converting a truck to hydrogen is now day-to-day work for Holthausen Clean Technology. But a 75-metre aerial platform is a different order of magnitude. The enormous boom and working basket impose specific requirements for weight distribution and balance — factors already critical in a conventional machine, and which must be entirely recalculated and revalidated in a hydrogen conversion.

Holthausen completed multiple additional certification processes: the vehicle was approved by the RDW (Dutch Vehicle Authority), inspected by Aboma for machinery certification, and cleared by manufacturer Ruthmann. All certifications were passed successfully.

Siesling: Bold Decision in Eelde

Siesling operates across the Netherlands with a fleet of aerial platforms from 19.5 to 75 metres. The decision to convert its heaviest machine — a Ruthmann T 750 flex — to hydrogen required real commitment. A vehicle of this type represents a major investment; choosing zero-emission propulsion on top of an already high purchase price is far from obvious.

The result is a vehicle that can drive and operate entirely emission-free: no exhaust on public roads, and no fumes at the worksite — even when the platform operates at height for hours at a time.

Hydrogen Suits Heavy Work at Height

For an aerial platform operating for extended periods across multiple locations, hydrogen offers clear practical advantages. Refuelling takes minutes, the range is comparable to a diesel vehicle, and the machine is not dependent on charging infrastructure at the worksite. For specialist equipment that operates far from depot, hydrogen is a logical choice.

A World First That Barely Made the News

In his LinkedIn post, Carl Holthausen noted that the press showed almost no interest in this milestone — and that is remarkable. A 75-metre hydrogen aerial platform, fully certified and operational, is a global first. It shows how rapidly zero-emission technology is normalising in practice — even in niches where it seemed unthinkable just a few years ago.

Sources:

• LinkedIn post Carl Holthausen (Holthausen Clean Technology)
• LinkedIn post Chris Jansen — RDW/Aboma/Ruthmann certification details
• Siesling.nl — Ruthmann T 750 flex(b), 75-metre aerial platform
• Holthausen Clean Technology — cleantechnology.nl