MAN sends three hydrogen fuel-cell trucks on real-world roads in Bavaria
MAN Truck & Bus has handed three hydrogen fuel-cell trucks to logistics partner LoadFox for a three-month road trial across Bavaria.
- 3
- 3 months
- 450–500 km
- 7–8 kg/100 km
What Happened
MAN Truck & Bus has launched road testing of its hydrogen-powered trucks under the Bayernflotte research project, funded by the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy. Three fuel-cell trucks were handed over to LoadFox Transport Solutions GmbH, which will operate them for three months in regular logistics. Routes run between MAN sites in Munich, Dachau and Nuremberg as well as other areas in southern Germany.
- Fuel cell system from project partner Robert Bosch GmbH; high-voltage batteries cover peak loads and store recuperation energy.
- Electric drive axle AxTrax2 dual from ZF converts energy into propulsion.
- Hydrogen stored in 700-bar pressure tanks from Forvia with installed capacity of 36 kg.
- Range of around 450 to 500 km; drive power of 350 kW.
- Consumption of about 7 to 8 kg of hydrogen per 100 km.
- 4,000 mm wheelbase, curb weight about 11.5 tonnes, designed gross train weight up to 42 tonnes.
LoadFox, an in-house transport company built up by MAN, is the operational logistics partner. It already operates prototype and autonomous vehicles and tests digital services under real conditions in freight transport. The aim is to gain customer-perspective insights that feed into MAN's product and service development. Data from the Bayernflotte project will be systematically evaluated and flow into hydrogen technology development within the TRATON group, focusing on efficiency, reliability and economy.
MAN expects battery-electric commercial vehicles to become the dominant technology in road freight because of their superior energy efficiency, operating costs and greenhouse-gas reduction potential. Hydrogen technologies, such as the small-series MAN hTGX with hydrogen combustion engines or future fuel-cell versions, could play an important complementary role in very long routes or regions with insufficient charging infrastructure.
Previously from MAN Truck & Bus
A day before this trial began, MAN started series production of its first MCS-capable electric trucks in Munich, becoming Europe's first manufacturer of trucks equipped with the Megawatt Charging System. In the first half of 2026, MAN reported a 6% rise in revenue and a 37% jump in electric vehicle sales. Together these prior milestones frame today's hydrogen test as complementary to MAN's battery-electric push.
- MAN starts series production of MCS-capable eTrucks
- MAN Truck & Bus reports strong first half of 2026 with rising sales and profit
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of MAN Truck & Bus's official releases.
Why this matters
The Bayernflotte trial is the final step of a state-funded research project, testing whether fuel-cell trucks can handle everyday freight runs. The data will guide MAN and its parent TRATON in refining hydrogen tech for long-distance or poorly charged routes, while the company still expects battery-electric trucks to dominate. Fleet operators in southern Germany could be the first to see hydrogen trucks as a complementary zero-emission option.
Terms in This Story
- Brennstoffzelle
- Fuel cell: a device that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, with water as the only byproduct.
- Wasserstoff
- Hydrogen: the lightest chemical element; used here as a fuel for fuel-cell trucks, stored as gas under high pressure.
- Rekuperation
- Recuperation: recovering energy during braking and storing it in a battery.
- Zuggesamtmasse
- Gross train weight: the total weight of a truck plus its trailer and load.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.