Mitsubishi Fuso, the Daimler Truck subsidiary, and Japanese energy firm Iwatani have announced a joint effort to develop and deploy refuelling technology for liquid hydrogen (subcooled liquid hydrogen or sLHā) aimed at accelerating hydrogen-powered commercial vehicle adoption in Japan.
The collaboration focuses on sLHā technology, which offers benefits over traditional gaseous hydrogen by providing higher storage density, longer driving ranges, faster refuelling times, and reduced infrastructure costs. Smaller, lighter tanks operating at lower pressure enable more efficient payload management and installation flexibility for trucks. Key cooperation areas include technical development, regulatory compliance analysis, and commercial framework assessment. The partners also plan joint marketing to boost awareness and acceptance of hydrogen trucks and refuelling stations.
Originally developed by Daimler Truck and Linde Engineering, the sLHā technology keeps hydrogen supercooled at -253Ā°C to prevent boil-off, minimizing energy losses and complexity at refuelling sites. Daimler Truck envisions this enabling fuel cell trucks with ranges up to 1,000 kilometres, well beyond current battery-electric trucks like the eActros 600, which covers around 500 kilometres on a charge. However, battery technology improvements could narrow this gap, with potential ranges of 800-900 kilometres expected in future battery packs.
Mitsubishi Fusoās project aligns with its broader sustainable mobility strategy emphasizing products, customers, and infrastructure. The company already markets Japanās first mass-produced electric light truck, the eCanter. Iwatani aims to contribute to Japanās goal of a COā-free hydrogen supply chain by 2050, supported by government initiatives such as the Green Innovation Fund. Daimler Truck continues fuel cell system development through the Cellcentric joint venture with Volvo Group, maintaining a multi-technology approach to decarbonizing heavy transport.