Air Liquide and Iveco Group have reaffirmed their commitment to hydrogen at the inauguration of the first high-pressure hydrogen station for long-haul trucks in Europe.

With the opening of Air Liquide’s high-pressure hydrogen refuelling station in Fos-sur-Mer, Marseille in France, and Iveco Group’s readiness to deliver hydrogen trucks starting from late 2023, the two companies are paving the way for hydrogen long-haulage mobility in Europe.

It follows from the Memorandum of Understanding both parties signed in December 2021.

The MoU aims to advance hydrogen as a crucial enabler for the energy transition of the transport industry by leveraging the expertise of Air Liquide across the entire hydrogen value chain, from production and storage to distribution, and the know-how of Iveco in the manufacturing of vehicles powered by alternative fuels.

Guests at the inauguration that took place on June 26, 2023, had the opportunity to visit the large-capacity high-pressure station (1 ton/day) supplied with low-carbon hydrogen via pipeline, and to see first-hand a prototype of an Iveco heavy-duty fuel cell truck. It also features a fast refuelling time at 700-bar pressure.

The Fos-sur-Mer station is part of the HyAMMED (“Hydrogène à Aix-Marseille pour une Mobilité Ecologique et Durable”) project supported by French funding. The new station is also part of H2Haul, the European project co-financed by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership. Air Liquide and Iveco were among the first partners of the H2Haul project when it was launched in 2019.

A second high-capacity station (700 bar, 2 tons/day) dedicated to heavy vehicles will be installed in Salon-de-Provence to supply a potential fleet of 50 hydrogen Iveco trucks from 2025 in the framework of the R’HySE project.

“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. The HyAMMED project is part of this approach: it’s a decisive first step and the kick-off to a greater ambition that we share with our partner Iveco.”

Gerrit Marx, CEO, Iveco Group, added, “Our strategy for increasingly sustainable mobility is based on a technology-neutral approach and hydrogen mobility is a key building block on this path.

“In fact, it provides an essential solution for high energy demanding commercial vehicle applications, such as long-haul transport,” he said.

“Today we showed that we have all the capabilities, both the vehicles and the stations, to put a true hydrogen mobility ecosystem on the road: the strategy is becoming reality.

“And our new, all-inclusive, pay-per-use rental model GATE – Green & Advanced Transport Ecosystem will enable access to the hydrogen-powered vehicles. Today’s milestone allows us to further strengthen the strategic and fundamental partnership with Air Liquide, a leader on the international energy transition scene that, like Iveco Group, works to advance a more sustainable society.”