Hydrogen Truck Deployments, Top 10 Projects, 40 Toyota FCEVs with Hyroad and $13 M for 6 trucks (2024-2026)

The hydrogen truck sector is advancing from isolated, single-vehicle trials to scaled, multi-unit commercial pilots, signaling a critical maturation phase for the technology. This shift is driven by strategic partnerships between major OEMs like Toyota and Daimler Truck, logistics giants, and significant government support aimed at decarbonizing heavy-duty freight. Recent deployments, including a 40-truck deal between Toyota and Hyroad Energy and India’s national pilot involving 37 vehicles, show a clear focus on proving commercial viability in demanding, real-world applications such as port drayage and middle-mile logistics. The dominant theme emerging through 2026 is the validation of hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks (FCEVs) in sustained commercial operations, establishing the business case for both the vehicles and the essential fueling infrastructure.

1. India’s “Hydrogen Highways” National Pilot Program (2026)

Project/Partnership: The Indian Ministry of Road Transport and Highways launched extensive pilot trials for hydrogen-powered transportation across the country.

Key Participants: Government of India, various OEMs and fleet operators.

Location: 10 designated routes nationwide in India.

Scale & Details: The program involves the deployment of 37 hydrogen-powered vehicles, including both fuel cell and hydrogen internal combustion engine (H 2 ICE) trucks and buses, to test performance and viability on key freight corridors (Source: India’s Hydrogen Highways: 37 Trucks Begin Trials, Unlocking India’s Green Hydrogen Production Potential).

2. Toyota and Hyroad Energy’s Southern California Fleet Deployment (2026)

Project/Partnership: A strategic collaboration to deploy a significant fleet of Class 8 hydrogen FCEVs in Southern California, targeting the decarbonization of port drayage and logistics operations.

Key Participants: Toyota Motor North America, Hyroad Energy.

Location: Southern California, USA.

Scale & Details: The agreement covers the deployment of 40 Toyota FCEV Class 8 trucks. This initiative builds upon Hyroad’s acquisition of 117 FCEV trucks from Nikola Corporation’s bankruptcy auction in August 2025, establishing Hyroad as a major player in hydrogen trucking-as-a-service (Taa S) (Source: Toyota, Hyroad scale hydrogen fuel cell truck deployment, Hyroad Energy & Toyota Deploy 40 Hydrogen Fuel Cell …).

3. Volvo Group’s H 2 Accelerate TRUCKS European Collaboration (2026)

Project/Partnership: Expansion of the H 2 Accelerate TRUCKS consortium to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen trucks across Europe.

Key Participants: Volvo Group, Scania Pilot Partner, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility Germany, Hyliko.

Location: Europe.

Scale & Details: The partnership brings together major truck manufacturers and hydrogen mobility specialists to advance fuel-cell truck testing and commercialization. Volvo plans to begin its own hydrogen truck testing in 2026, aiming for commercial viability by 2030 (Source: Three new partners join forces with Volvo Group to deploy …, Top hydrogen-powered vehicles entering the market by 2030).

4. Daimler Truck’s Mercedes-Benz Next Gen H 2 Small-Series Production (2026)

Project/Partnership: Daimler Truck AG announced plans for the initial small-series production of its next-generation liquid hydrogen-powered truck.

Key Participants: Daimler Truck AG.

Location: Wörth, Germany (Final Assembly).

Scale & Details: The Mercedes-Benz Next Gen H 2 Truck is scheduled to enter limited production by the end of 2026. This marks a critical step from pilot phases to commercial deployment for liquid hydrogen (LH 2) technology in heavy-duty transport (Source: Daimler Truck presents Mercedes-Benz Next Gen H 2 …).

5. Penske and Pilot’s Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell Truck Trials (2026)

Project/Partnership: Real-world operational trials of Hyundai’s Class 8 FCEV truck by major logistics and fleet management companies in the U.S.

Key Participants: Penske, Pilot, Hyundai.

Location: Lancaster, Texas (Penske) and Rialto, California (Pilot).

Scale & Details: Both Penske and Pilot operated a Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell truck as part of the “Run on Less – Messy Middle” freight efficiency demonstration, gathering performance data in demanding, real-world logistics applications (Source: Run on Less – Messy Middle).

6. Rutgers and NJEDA’s Port Newark Green Hydrogen Pilot (2025)

Project/Partnership: A government-funded pilot project to test the viability of green hydrogen-powered trucks in demanding port drayage operations.

Key Participants: Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT), New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), PSEG, Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), Hyundai, Port Authority of NY & NJ.

Location: Port Newark, New Jersey, USA.

Scale & Details: The project is supported by $13 million in funding from the NJEDA to deploy six green hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks. The pilot includes the design of a fueling site and 12 months of performance monitoring (Source: Rutgers CAIT Awarded $13 M by NJEDA to Pilot Test …, NJEDA awards Rutgers $13 M to pilot hydrogen trucks in …).

7. Loblaw and Fortis BC’s Hydrogen-Powered Grocery Delivery (2025)

Project/Partnership: The first sustained commercial demonstration of a hydrogen-powered Class 8 truck for grocery delivery in Canada.

Key Participants: Loblaw Companies Ltd., Fortis BC Energy Inc.

Location: British Columbia, Canada.

Scale & Details: This pilot represents a significant milestone for Canada’s supply chain industry by moving a hydrogen truck into regular commercial service, testing its performance in middle-mile logistics (Source: Canada’s supply chain industry marks major milestone with …).

8. Benore Logistics’ Hyundai FCEV Fleet Integration (2025)

Project/Partnership: A commercial pilot involving the integration of Hyundai FCEV trucks into the fleet of a U.S. logistics provider.

Key Participants: Benore Logistics, Hyundai.

Location: United States.

Scale & Details: Benore Logistics integrated 14 Hyundai hydrogen trucks into its operations in April 2025. This deployment is part of a broader trend of U.S. businesses piloting zero-emission vehicles in their fleets (Source: Businesses across the U.S. continue rolling out electric trucks …).

9. Adani Group’s Hydrogen Truck for Mining Logistics (2025)

Project/Partnership: Deployment of India’s first hydrogen fuel cell truck specifically for mining and logistics applications.

Key Participants: Adani Enterprises Ltd. (AEL), in collaboration with an unnamed international energy technology firm and a major auto manufacturer.

Location: Raipur, India.

Scale & Details: Flagged off in May 2025, this pilot is a key step in decarbonizing India’s heavy industry and mining sectors, with Adani developing a complete hydrogen fuel cell and battery ecosystem (Source: Adani Group Deploys India’s First Hydrogen-Powered …).

10. Toyota, Coca-Cola, and Air Liquide European Trial (2024)

Project/Partnership: A cross-industry collaboration to trial a hydrogen fuel cell long-haul truck in Europe.

Key Participants: Toyota, The Coca-Cola Company, Air Liquide.

Location: Europe.

Scale & Details: Announced in July 2024, this partnership brings together a leading OEM, a major consumer goods company, and an industrial gas supplier to test the feasibility of FCEV technology in European logistics networks (Source: Toyota partners with Coca-Cola for hydrogen fuel cell trial).

Table: Top 10 Hydrogen Truck Deployments and Partnerships (2024-2026)

Hydrogen Truck Deployments, Major Logistics Players Test FCEVs

Recent partnerships reveal a clear pattern of targeting specific, high-impact segments within the logistics industry to validate hydrogen technology. The diversity of applications—from port drayage to grocery delivery and mining—indicates a strategic effort to prove the operational and economic case for FCEVs across different use cases before attempting a broader market rollout. This targeted approach de-risks investment by focusing on routes and operations where FCEVs offer the most significant advantages over incumbent diesel or battery-electric alternatives.

Port Drayage Becomes a Key Proving Ground

Port drayage has emerged as the primary beachhead market for hydrogen truck deployments. The $13 million Rutgers and NJEDA pilot at Port Newark and the 40-truck Toyota and Hyroad Energy deployment in Southern California highlight this trend. These environments are ideal for early adoption due to their short, repetitive routes, high emissions, and the potential for centralized refueling infrastructure. Success in these demanding, 24/7 operational cycles is seen as a critical validation step for demonstrating the durability and reliability of FCEV technology.

Middle-Mile and Specialized Logistics Integration

Beyond ports, projects are targeting middle-mile and specialized logistics. Loblaw’s use of a hydrogen truck for grocery delivery in British Columbia and the “Run on Less – Messy Middle” demonstration involving Penske and a Hyundai XCIENT test the technology’s performance in regional-haul applications. Similarly, the Adani Group’s deployment of a hydrogen truck for mining logistics in India showcases its potential in heavy industrial settings. These pilots aim to gather crucial performance data on fuel consumption, maintenance, and driver feedback in varied operational contexts.

North America, India Lead Hydrogen Truck Pilot Scale

Geographically, hydrogen truck deployments are concentrated in regions with strong regulatory incentives, strategic government backing, and a concentration of logistics activity. North America and India are leading in terms of the scale and ambition of their pilot programs, while Europe focuses on building a collaborative framework among major manufacturers to standardize and accelerate adoption.

US West Coast and Port-Centric Deployments

In North America, activity is heavily clustered around California and key logistics hubs. The Southern California deployment by Toyota and Hyroad, along with trials by Penske and Pilot in Texas and California, leverages state-level incentives and focuses on decarbonizing major freight corridors. The East Coast is also seeing activity with the Port Newark pilot, indicating a bicoastal strategy focused on cleaning up emissions at the nation’s busiest ports.

India’s National Strategy for Hydrogen Highways

India is pursuing a top-down, nationally coordinated strategy with its “Hydrogen Highways” program. By deploying 37 hydrogen-powered trucks and buses across 10 designated freight corridors, the government aims to create a comprehensive dataset on vehicle performance and infrastructure needs across the country. This large-scale, centralized approach, complemented by private sector initiatives from companies like Adani Group, positions India to rapidly scale its hydrogen transport ecosystem if the pilots prove successful.

Europe’s Collaborative OEM Approach

Europe’s strategy is characterized by industry-wide collaboration. The H 2 Accelerate TRUCKS consortium, which includes heavyweights like Volvo Group, Scania, and Hyundai, aims to synchronize truck deployment with the rollout of refueling infrastructure. This collaborative model, which also includes end-users like Coca-Cola, seeks to overcome the classic chicken-and-egg problem by ensuring vehicles and fuel are available simultaneously, creating a more robust pathway to commercialization by 2030.

40 FCEV Trucks, Toyota Deal Signals Move to Scaled Fleets

The latest deployments demonstrate a clear technological progression from single-vehicle demonstrations to the integration of small but significant fleets into commercial operations. This shift is crucial for gathering data on fleet-level performance, maintenance cycles, and total cost of ownership (TCO). Furthermore, the emergence of both gaseous and liquid hydrogen solutions indicates that the industry is still exploring multiple technological pathways to find the optimal solution for heavy-duty trucking.

From Single-Truck Trials to Fleet Integration

The scale of deployments is increasing significantly. While earlier pilots often involved just one or two trucks, projects like Benore Logistics’ integration of 14 Hyundai FCEVs and Hyroad Energy’s 40-truck order from Toyota represent a new phase of commercial validation. Operating a small fleet allows companies to understand the real-world challenges of fueling multiple vehicles, scheduling maintenance, and managing driver training, providing a much richer dataset than single-truck trials.

Daimler’s Shift to Liquid Hydrogen Production

While most current pilots utilize compressed gaseous hydrogen, Daimler Truck’s plan to begin small-series production of its liquid hydrogen (LH 2) powered Mercedes-Benz Next Gen H 2 truck by the end of 2026 marks a significant development. LH 2 offers greater energy density, potentially enabling longer ranges and faster refueling, which could be advantageous for long-haul applications. Daimler’s commitment to LH 2 suggests that the technology is maturing from the conceptual stage toward commercial readiness, offering a parallel pathway to FCEV adoption.

Hyundai’s 14 FCEV Truck Pilot, Taa S Model Gains Traction

The critical development for the coming year is whether the Trucking-as-a-Service (Taa S) model, demonstrated by Hyroad Energy and tested by fleets like Benore Logistics, can prove commercially viable beyond subsidized pilots. This model, where fleet operators pay per mile, shifts the risk of technology, maintenance, and fueling away from the end-user and onto specialized providers, potentially accelerating adoption.

• If Hyroad’s strategy of acquiring assets and partnering with OEMs like Toyota successfully delivers reliable uptime and a predictable cost-per-mile, watch for other logistics and energy companies to launch similar Taa S offerings to capture market share.
• These could be happening: legacy truck leasing firms such as Penske may accelerate their own hydrogen Taa S programs to compete, moving from single-truck trials to larger, integrated fleet offerings to retain their customer base.
• A key signal to monitor is the development of reliable, high-capacity fueling stations, as planned in the Rutgers/NJEDA Port Newark project. Without this infrastructure backbone, the Taa S model will remain limited to closed-loop operations with dedicated, private fueling.

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