Savage and Symbio's first hydrogen drayage truck enters service at Port of Long Beach: lightest ZEV tractor in its class

Savage Companies and Symbio North America have commissioned their first jointly developed hydrogen fuel cell drayage truck. The inaugural delivery was recently celebrated at the Port of Long Beach, California, with the port in attendance. Less than a year after the partnership was formalised at ACT Expo 2025, the vehicle is now operational.

What is a drayage truck?

Drayage refers to the short-distance transport of containers — from the vessel to the terminal, or from the port to a nearby distribution centre or rail terminal. It is one of the most intensive and polluting segments of the container logistics chain: trucks operating around the clock, constantly loading and unloading, bound by strict time windows. For this operational profile, fast refuelling is essential — precisely where hydrogen holds a major advantage over battery-electric alternatives.

Technical performance: lightweight, powerful and fast to refuel

The vehicle is built on a Mack Anthem chassis and fitted with Symbio's hydrogen drivetrain, featuring a multi-StackPack architecture with a peak power output of 150 kW. Hydrogen storage uses FORVIA 70 MPa XL tanks with a capacity of 34 kg — sufficient for a full shift without mid-shift refuelling.

Particularly notable is the exceptionally low curb weight of approximately 7,700 kilograms (17,000 lbs), making it the lightest known zero-emission tractor in its category. That low weight directly benefits the operational business case: the lighter the truck, the more cargo it can carry within maximum axle load limits. Refuelling takes under 15 minutes — comparable to diesel.

The start of a larger fleet transition

For Savage, this vehicle marks the beginning of a broader transition. The company operates more than 70 drayage trucks in California and aims to convert them progressively to zero-emission solutions. Operational data collected from this first truck will be used to further refine Symbio's systems.

Context: Long Beach goes all-in on hydrogen

The Port of Long Beach is one of the world's busiest ports, handling around 40 percent of all US imports together with the neighbouring Port of Los Angeles. Both ports have committed to a fully zero-emission drayage fleet by 2035, as part of their joint Clean Air Action Plan.

To accelerate that transition, the Port of Long Beach has launched a $10 million hydrogen fuel grant programme, through which operators can reclaim up to 80 percent of their hydrogen fuel costs on a monthly basis. Combined with the $10-per-container Clean Truck Fund, this provides a substantial financial framework for fleet operators making the switch to hydrogen.

Hydrogen replacing diesel at the ports

This project illustrates how hydrogen is stepping into the role of diesel in the most demanding logistics environments: high utilisation, 24/7 operations, and the need for fast turnaround times. Battery-electric trucks are less suited to this profile due to charging times of one to two hours. Hydrogen offers the combination of range, payload and fast refuelling that the drayage sector requires.

Sources:

• Globe Newswire / Savage Companies – commissioning announcement (9 March 2026): globenewswire.com
• Hydrogen Central – Savage and Symbio commission first hydrogen drayage truck (March 2026)
• Global Hydrogen Review – Savage and Symbio commissioning (March 2026)
• Hydrogen Fuel News – Port of Long Beach $10M hydrogen grant programme (December 2025)
• - FreightWaves – zero-emission drayage deadlines at Long Beach (October 2025)