The European automotive industry stands at a crossroads. With an established knowledge base and a history of global leadership in technological innovation, the industry must now adapt to the growing need for sustainable mobility solutions or risk falling behind global competitors. Hydrogen technologies present an opportunity for the continent to cement its position at the forefront of the sustainable mobility transition. However, this potential can only be realised through targeted investments and a strategic shift toward competitiveness.
Recent developments highlight promising progress for the European automotive industry. In November 2024, Daimler Truck received €226m ($237m) in funding from German national and regional governments for its fuel cell truck development programme with the aim to bring 100 liquid hydrogen fuel cell trucks into customer operations from the end of 2026 onwards.
Apart from vehicle development, the funds will also be used to prepare production processes and manufacturing sites ahead of planned large series production towards the end of the decade. This investment underscores the role of government support in fostering European innovation in the early phases of development. However, it also shows that the path to securing funding entails a long planning lead time: Daimler Truck engaged with the Importance Projects of Common European (IPCEI) process for a little more than three-years from application to approval of funding.
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