The recent inauguration of the first high-pressure hydrogen station for long-haul trucks is the first refueling station of its kind in Europe. It marks a step forward in Air Liquide and Iveco Group’s joint commitment to develop hydrogen mobility in the continent.

This commitment is in line with the MoU the companies signed in December 2021.

The goal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is to advance hydrogen as a vital enabler for the energy transition of the transport sector by leveraging the expertise of both companies.

This includes Air Liquide’s unique expertise across the entire H2 value chain – production, storage, and distribution – and IVECO’s (commercial vehicle brand of Iveco Group) manufacturing of alternative fuel vehicles.

“Our strategy for increasingly sustainable mobility is based on a technology-neutral approach and hydrogen mobility is a key building block on this path,” said Iveco Group CEO Gerrit Marx in a news release about the inauguration of the hydrogen station. “In fact, it provides an essential solution for high energy demanding commercial vehicle applications, such as long-haul transport,” Marx added.

At the hydrogen station inauguration, guests saw an IVECO H2 truck prototype.

Air Liquide’s high-pressure hydrogen refueling station opened in Fos-sur-Mer (Marseille), France on June 26, 2023. Guests who attended the inauguration had the opportunity to visit the large-capacity high-pressure station that is supplied with 1 ton of low-carbon hydrogen a day via pipeline. They were also given a first-hand look at an IVECO heavy-duty fuel cell truck prototype.

This heavy-duty H2 truck is designed for long haulage and has a speedy refueling time at 700-bar pressure. Iveco Group intends to deliver these hydrogen trucks beginning late in 2023.

The station is part of the HyAMMED project.

The Fos-sur-Mer hydrogen station is part of the French funded “Hydrogène à Aix-Marseille pour une Mobilité Ecologique et Durable” (HyAMMED) project. It is also a part of H2Haul, a European project co-financed by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership.

A second high-capacity H2 refueling station (700 bar, 2 tons per day) dedicated to heavy vehicles is slated to be installed in Salon-de-Provence and is expected to supply a potential feel of 50 IVECO H2 trucks from 2025.

“To encourage the widespread use of hydrogen, we must collectively create the conditions for the sector to flourish,” said Erwin Penfornis, Vice-President Hydrogen Energy World Business Line, Air Liquide. “It is imperative to develop a network of high-capacity stations dense enough to enable vehicle manufacturers and transport operators to embark on this transition.”