Colruyt Group and Scania put hydrogen trucks to work in Belgium
Colruyt Group and Scania are testing hydrogen fuel cell trucks in day-to-day logistics operations in Belgium as both companies assess the role hydrogen could play in decarbonising heavy goods transport.
The Belgian retail group has become the first and only Belgian customer to deploy two Scania hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) as part of the manufacturer’s Pilot Partner programme. The five-year initiative evaluates emerging transport technologies under real-world operating conditions, including battery-electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells and other alternative powertrains.
Scania has produced only around 20 vehicles in this hydrogen fuel cell series for trials in a limited number of countries, making Colruyt Group’s involvement a significant test of the technology in commercial logistics operations.
“By testing in real-world transport environments, we are learning what works best in practice and how we can accelerate progress,” said Tony Sandberg, Head of Scania Pilot Partner.
The hydrogen trial forms part of Scania’s broader research into alternative technologies, although the company continues to regard direct electrification through battery-electric vehicles as the main route to decarbonising road transport. The hydrogen trucks are being evaluated to determine where fuel cell technology could complement battery-electric transport in applications where longer range and high payloads are required.
Colruyt Group, meanwhile, aims to make its own freight transport completely emission-free by 2030, using both battery-electric and hydrogen-electric vehicles. The company has set a further target for its goods transport to operate entirely on green electricity and green hydrogen by 2035.
“As a retail group with sustainability in our DNA, we are also making our freight transport more sustainable, step by step,” said Lieselot Rouquart, Division Manager Transport at Colruyt Group. “We aim to make our own freight transport completely emission-free by 2030, using battery-electric and hydrogen-electric vehicles.”
The Scania FCEV combines a hydrogen fuel cell with battery-electric propulsion. Its fuel cell has a maximum output of 300 kW, while the electric powertrain provides a continuous output of 400 kW and up to 480 kW of regenerative braking power.
The three-axle 6×2 tractor unit has a steered trailing axle and a maximum authorised train weight of 50 tonnes, making it suitable for heavy-duty transport and longer-distance logistics. The vehicle carries 56 kg of hydrogen in high-pressure tanks operating at 700 bar.
The trucks are expected to refuel at hydrogen refuelling stations in Halle and Ollignies. The vehicles use an SAE J2600-H70 connector and can be refuelled at a maximum rate of 60 grams of hydrogen per second.
Alongside the hydrogen fuel cell system, each truck has two battery packs with a combined gross capacity of 356 kWh. The batteries can also be charged externally through a CCS2 Combo connector, with charging power of up to 375 kW.
The combination of hydrogen and battery-electric technology gives the trucks a reported range of up to approximately 800 kilometres while producing no tailpipe emissions during operation.
The vehicles also feature a Scania bumper designed to comply with the European Increased Vehicle Dimensions directive. This allows the tractor-trailer combination to exceed the conventional 16.5-metre maximum length, with the additional space used to improve aerodynamics, safety and energy efficiency without reducing load capacity.
The partnership between Scania and Colruyt Group on hydrogen transport began in 2020. Since then, the companies have worked together to develop the hydrogen truck concept and adapt it to the operational requirements of Colruyt Group’s distribution network.
The collaboration has covered more than the vehicle’s powertrain, with the companies also aligning hydrogen infrastructure, logistics processes and operational requirements. The aim is to determine whether hydrogen-electric trucks can deliver the performance and practicality required for intensive heavy-duty transport.
One of the biggest hurdles was obtaining approval for the vehicle to operate on Belgian public roads. Because its configuration did not fully conform to existing European vehicle regulations, the complete vehicle required individual type-approval.
Scania, Colruyt Group, certification bodies and technical partners worked together to secure the necessary component certificates and regulatory approvals. The approval process took around 18 months before the trucks were authorised for road trials in Belgium.
The real-world deployment will provide both companies with data on the performance, efficiency and operational requirements of hydrogen trucks in demanding logistics conditions. The results could help determine where hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can complement battery-electric trucks as European freight operators seek to reduce emissions from heavy-duty transport.
