Scania is testing hydrogen trucks equipped with Toyota technology
Toyota and Scania are advancing joint tests of fuel cell solutions for heavy-duty transportation. For this purpose, 40 Scania trucks will be equipped with Toyota’s current fuel cell system. The collaboration aims to generate insights from real-world logistics operations.
Image: Toyota
The testing of Toyota’s technology in the Swedish trucks is part of Scania’s so-called “Pilot Partner” program. Specifically, these modified trucks are intended to be used by logistics companies under real daily conditions to uncover useful application scenarios.
According to Scania, the “Pilot Partner” program “brings together selected customers to evaluate a wide range of sustainable transport technologies under real operating conditions.” Hydrogen fuel cell technology is one of several technological pathways being explored. The partners aim primarily to “gain insights into technical performance, operational efficiency, and overall operating costs.”
Toyota’s third-generation fuel cell system is set to stand out thanks to its compact design and 300 kW of power output. It was launched in 2025 with the explicit statement that it is suitable not only for use in passenger cars but also in commercial vehicles, trains, ships, and stationary applications. That same year, Toyota began partnerships for truck applications with companies such as Sinotruk and the VDL Group. This year, Toyota also joined Cellcentric, a joint venture between Daimler Trucks and the Volvo Group, as an equal partner — and is also involved in a new alliance being formed in Germany to commercialize heavy H2 trucks. This alliance plans to unveil its plans next week at the IAA Transportation exhibition.
All of these activities show that Toyota sees great potential for its technology in the truck market. The partnership with Scania fits well into this strategy. The first hydrogen-powered fuel cell trucks from Scania equipped with Toyota’s technology are set to be put into operation in the first quarter of 2027.
Hiroki Nakajima, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Corporation, said, “We are convinced that heavy-duty transportation is crucial for building demand for hydrogen and the related infrastructure. Furthermore, we believe hydrogen is the right solution for demanding heavy-duty applications where long range, high efficiency, and operational effectiveness are essential. By integrating Toyota’s third-generation fuel cell system into Scania customers’ logistics operations, we are taking an important step together to enable hydrogen-powered mobility to play a greater role across the entire European heavy-duty transportation industry.”
"We are pleased to partner with Toyota to explore how fuel cell technology performs in demanding real-world transportation operations," says Sara Forsberg, Chief Technology Officer at Scania. "Through our Pilot Partner Program, we work with selected customers to test new technologies in practical applications, learn from those experiences, and further develop our solutions. This collaboration will provide us with valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges of hydrogen fuel cell technology in heavy transport."