Scania hydrogen fuel cell truck enters real-world logistics operations in Italy — longer range, new challenges ahead

Italian logistics operator Gruber Logistics and truck manufacturer Scania launched a real-world trial of a hydrogen fuel cell truck in May 2026, deploying the vehicle in everyday commercial transport. This marks the first operational use of such a truck in Italy — and a notable step forward in Europe's push to decarbonise heavy-duty road freight.

A new kind of truck hits the road

The Scania 40R FCEV is a three-axle tractor built on Scania's existing battery-electric platform, extended with four hydrogen tanks and a fuel cell system. Rather than a finished product, the vehicle is a technology demonstrator: Scania wants to understand how fuel cells and electric drivetrains perform together under real operating conditions.

The trial is part of the European ZEFES project (Zero Emission Freight and European Scale), which aims to accelerate zero-emission logistics through real-world testing of hydrogen and electric trucks on key European corridors — including the critical Brenner axis linking Italy and Germany.

Impressive specs on paper

With a combined range of 850 kilometres — 350 km on hydrogen and 310 km on the battery — the truck can tackle long haul routes that are difficult for battery-only vehicles. The four hydrogen tanks store a total of 56 kg of hydrogen at 700 bar, and refuelling takes around 20 minutes, a significant advantage over fast charging.

Key technical data:

• Battery capacity: 416 kWh (usable: 345 kWh)

• Fuel cell output: 300 kW

• Electric motor: 390 kW

• Gross vehicle weight: 44 tonnes | Payload: 23 tonnes

• Consumption: 0.1 kg hydrogen/km + 1.1 kWh/km

Real operations, real partners

Gruber Logistics is running the truck on actual freight assignments, working alongside clients such as Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, Verallia, ABB and Forst brewery. The focus is on collecting operational data — daily reliability, refuelling logistics and the interplay between the fuel cell and the battery pack.

Fuel cell versus battery-electric: two technologies, different strengths

The extended range comes at a cost: fuel cell vehicles lose energy during the conversion of hydrogen into electricity, making them less efficient than direct battery-electric solutions. On top of that, the high-pressure tanks (700 bar) take up considerable space in the vehicle, and the overall system weighs more than a comparable battery-only truck.

Whether a fuel cell truck makes sense depends heavily on the use case. For long-distance transport on corridors with limited charging infrastructure, hydrogen has clear advantages. For urban distribution and short hauls, battery-electric remains the more efficient choice in most scenarios.

A wider European push

Scania is running parallel hydrogen truck pilots in the United Kingdom (under the ZEHID programme) and previously in Switzerland. Daimler Truck has announced a small series of 100 hydrogen trucks — the NextGenH2 Truck — to enter customer trials by late 2026, running on liquid hydrogen with a target range of over 1,000 km, and with series production aimed at the early 2030s.

Toyota is also testing a fuel cell truck for its parts logistics, while the H2Accelerate TRUCKS project is coordinating fleet-scale hydrogen truck deployment across Europe, targeting hundreds of vehicles by 2030.

The Gruber Logistics and Scania trial is not an isolated experiment, but part of a broad, coordinated European strategy to clean up heavy transport.

Sources:

• Logistra.de (01-05-2026)
• Fuel Cells Works
• Tech4Trade
• ZEFES-project
• Gruber Logistics
• Scania Group
• Driving Hydrogen