Cellcentric unveils BZA375: the most powerful hydrogen fuel cell system for heavy-duty trucks to date

At Hannover Messe 2026, cellcentric — the joint venture of Daimler Truck and Volvo Group — officially launched its next-generation fuel cell system under the name BZA375. The system, previously known under the codename NextGen, is now available for testing, validation and further industrialisation. Series production is planned for the turn of the decade.

What makes the BZA375 significant?

Compared to its predecessor, the BZA150, improvements span every key metric:

• Power: 375 kW of continuous net power — more than 500 hp — from a single system, where the BZA150 required two parallel units.
• Weight: under 500 kg, keeping payload capacity at diesel-equivalent levels.
• Fuel consumption: 20% lower than the BZA150, enabling a fully loaded 40-tonne truck to operate on less than 6 kg of hydrogen per 100 km under real-world conditions — supporting ranges beyond 1,000 km.
• Waste heat: 40% less at 300 kW net power, enabling significantly more compact and cost-effective cooling systems.
• Power density: 40% higher than the BZA150.
• Complexity: 40% fewer components and interfaces.

Critically for integration into existing trucks: the system fits into engine compartments originally designed for 13-litre diesel engines. This lowers the barrier for truck manufacturers looking to transition their platforms to hydrogen.

Service life is rated at 25,000 operating hours — equivalent to around ten years of heavy-duty truck operation, comparable to modern diesel engines.

From twin-system to single-system

One of the most fundamental changes from the BZA150 is the shift from a twin-system to a single-system design. Where the BZA150 required two fuel cell units running in parallel to deliver sufficient power for heavy-duty applications, the BZA375 achieves this alone. That simplifies integration, reduces weight and enables a more compact vehicle architecture.

Toyota joins as third shareholder

Cellcentric was founded in 2021 as a fifty-fifty joint venture between Daimler Truck and Volvo Group. Toyota Motor Corporation has recently announced its intention to join as an equal shareholder. This gives cellcentric access to Toyota's decades of fuel cell expertise across passenger and commercial vehicles, and significantly strengthens the consortium's industrial scale.

One system, multiple applications

Although the BZA375 is primarily designed for long-haul heavy-duty trucks, cellcentric is deliberately pursuing a one-product strategy: the same system is intended for use in coaches, stationary power generation, rail vehicles and mining equipment. By pooling volume across applications, cellcentric aims to structurally reduce the cost of fuel cell technology.

Hydrogen replaces diesel in heavy transport

The BZA375 is not a technology for passenger cars or light commercial vehicles. It targets the heaviest segment of road transport — trucks that currently run on diesel and are difficult to decarbonise through electrification. Hydrogen offers what a battery cannot: fast refuelling, long range and payload capacity on a par with diesel.

Sources:

• cellcentric press release – BZA375 launch at Hannover Messe (April 2026): cellcentric.net
• Daimler Truck press release (April 2026): daimlertruck.com
• Electrive – Cellcentric BZA375 available for customer validation (April 2026): electrive.com
• Automotive World – cellcentric launches 375 kW fuel cell system (April 2026)
• Commercial Motor – cellcentric BZA375 launch (April 2026)