DB Schenker is gradually building up a fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) fleet powered by hydrogen in collaboration with hylane, a rental start-up part of DEVK specialised in hydrogen solutions in the logistic sectors.
DEVK/hylane and DB Schenker started their collaboration almost two years ago. Both companies understand the importance of hydrogen for transforming the transport sector and therefore combine their strengths to move forward.
“In addition to a 360-degree rental concept, the aim of the collaboration is to develop a swap-body truck-trailer combination to carry our standard swap-body type with a length of 7,820 mm,” says Wolfgang Janda, Executive Vice President, Head of Network & Linehaul Management at DB Schenker. “This is new in the market and will allow us to decarbonise without any loss of efficiency in our land transport network.”
Fuel-cell-powered trucks offer several advantages in long-distance transport compared to battery-electric vehicles: the maximum payload is higher, the range is greater, and the refuelling process is comparable to Diesel.
“I´m grateful to see the progress we are now making towards testing a hydrogen-powered vehicle for linehaul transportation, which will be an important step on our journey towards carbon-neutral road transportation,” says Helmut Schweighofer, CEO of DB Schenker Europe.
This month, DB Schenker paid a visit to view its first fuel cell truck in Groningen, Netherlands, on the premises of Hyzon, a manufacturer of hydrogen-powered trucks. The vehicle will be handed over by hylane to DB Schenker by the end of 2022, and it should start field tests on a few lanes with selected customers at the beginning of 2023.
DB Schenker also intends to upscale and commercialise operations beginning in Q3 2023, whereby the progress made here will depend on factors such as hydrogen infrastructure and market acceptance. DB Schenker and its carriers aim to be carbon-neutral by 2040.
Source: DB Schenker
