Daimler Truck AG and KEYOU GmbH have signed an agreement to develop hydrogen internal combustion engine (HICE) trucks based on the Mercedes-Benz Actros platform. The deal expands Daimler Truck’s decarbonisation strategy to include HICE alongside battery-electric and fuel cell trucks, with market launch planned for 2027.

Daimler Truck will sell Actros engines to KEYOU for hydrogen conversion by external partners, opting for a partnership model over in-house development. The HICE approach offers lower system complexity than fuel cells, a compact footprint and is suited to high-payload freight operations.

In a statement, Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck responsible for Truck Technology, said: “The road freight transport sector requires different drive solutions for different applications. Hydrogen can be used to power both fuel cells and internal combustion engines. By working with KEYOU, we are partnering with a specialised company to bring hydrogen combustion technology to market quickly and efficiently.”

Thomas Korn, Chief Executive and co-founder of KEYOU, added: “The partnership with Daimler Truck is an important step for us to bring our KEYOU-inside technology into industrial application. Together, we can significantly accelerate the development and scaling of hydrogen-based drive solutions in the commercial vehicle sector and thus make a tangible contribution to decarbonising heavy-duty transport.”

Source: Daimler Truck