MAN Truck & Bus will be the first European truck producer to launch a small series with a H₂ combustion engine. The initially planned small series of around 200 units is to be delivered to customers in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland and selected non-European countries as early as 2025. The "MAN hTGX", as the vehicle will be called, offers an alternative zero-emission drive variant for special applications, for example for transporting heavy goods – such as construction work, tank transport or timber transport. The hTGX can also be an environmentally friendly alternative to battery-electric trucks for use in areas without sufficient charging infrastructure or for markets where sufficient H₂ is already available. MAN will hand over its battery-electric truck to customers for the first time in 2024 and scale it up from 2025. MAN has been the market leader for electric city buses in Europe since 2023.

"We are continuing to focus on battery-electric vehicles to decarbonize road freight transport. These currently have clear advantages over other drive concepts in terms of energy efficiency and operating and energy costs. However, trucks powered by H₂ combustion engines are a useful addition for special applications and markets. We anticipate that we will be able to best serve the vast majority of our customers' transport applications with battery-powered trucks. For special applications, H₂ combustion or, in the future, fuel cell technology is a suitable supplement. The H₂ combustion engine H45 is based on the proven D38 diesel engine and is produced at the engine and battery plant in Nuremberg. The use of familiar technology enables us to enter the market at an early stage and thus provides a decisive impetus for the ramp-up of the H₂ infrastructure. With the hTGX, we have now added an attractive product to our zero-emission portfolio," said Friedrich Baumann, Executive Board Member of MAN Truck & Bus and responsible for Sales & Customer Solution.

The H₂ drive is particularly suitable for special transport tasks that require a special axle configuration or where there is no space for the battery on the frame due to the need for truck bodywork. The MAN hTGX offers high payloads and maximum ranges of up to 600 kilometers in its initially offered 6x2 and 6x4 axle variants. The H45 H₂ combustion engine used has an output of 383 kW or 520 hp and a torque of 2,500 Nm at 900 rpm-1,300 rpm. The direct injection of H₂ into the engine ensures particularly fast power delivery. With H₂ compressed to 700 bar (CG H2) and a tank capacity of 56 kg, the vehicle can be refueled in less than 15 minutes. With less than 1g CO₂/tkm, the MAN hTGX will fulfil the criteria as a "zero-emission vehicle" under the new planned EU CO₂ legislation.

Frederik Zohm, Executive Board Member for Research & Development said, "The new CO₂ regulations at EU level will classify trucks with H₂ combustion engines as zero-emission vehicles. This means that such vehicles fully contribute to our CO₂ fleet targets, which also opens the door for this small series that complements battery electric vehicles. At the same time, depending on the country, our customers benefit from corresponding toll reductions, for example. At MAN's Nuremberg site, we have the most innovative engine technology and decades of experience in the use of H₂ as a fuel. We are utilizing this and presenting a real MAN with the MAN hTGX. The new H₂ combustion truck is based on the tried-and-tested TG vehicle series and impresses with the highest quality and uncomplicated maintenance. We will continue to research fuel cell technology based on battery technology and H₂. H₂ fuel technology is also in preparation at MAN. However, it will be several years before the technology is really ready for the market and competitive."

As with e-mobility, MAN not only emphasizes the development and production of innovative and reliable vehicles in line with its "Simplifying Business" claim, but also supports customers with comprehensive service and consulting offers when switching from diesel to zero-emission vehicles.