Toyota joins forces with Daimler Truck and Volvo on hydrogen trucks

Toyota has announced plans to join Daimler Truck and Volvo Group in a joint venture focused on hydrogen-powered trucks.

The move would see Toyota become an equal partner in cellcentric, a company developing hydrogen fuel systems for heavy commercial vehicles.

Cellcentric was set up by Daimler Truck and Volvo to develop alternative power systems for trucks that need long range and quick refuelling.

By bringing Toyota on board, the companies hope to speed up progress and share the cost and expertise needed to make hydrogen trucks more practical for everyday use.

Toyota has spent many years working on hydrogen technology and sees it as an important option alongside battery‑electric vehicles.

While electric trucks are already proving useful for shorter routes, hydrogen is being explored as a solution for long‑distance and heavy‑load transport, where charging times and vehicle weight can be a challenge.

By teaming up with Daimler Truck and Volvo, Toyota can bring its experience in hydrogen development while benefiting from their knowledge of the commercial vehicle market.

If the deal goes ahead, cellcentric will remain responsible for developing and supplying hydrogen systems, while each manufacturer continues to compete in the truck market with its own vehicles.

The focus is on building the technology in the background rather than producing finished trucks together.

Supporters of hydrogen argue that it could allow trucks to refuel as quickly as diesel vehicles while producing no exhaust emissions.

However, the wider rollout still depends heavily on the availability of hydrogen refuelling stations, which remain limited in the UK and across Europe.

For fleet operators, the announcement is a sign that hydrogen power is still very much on the industry’s agenda.

While battery‑electric trucks are likely to dominate urban and regional deliveries, hydrogen could eventually play a role in long‑haul operations where downtime and payload are critical.

However, large‑scale adoption is still some way off. Infrastructure, costs and long‑term reliability will all need to improve before hydrogen trucks become a common sight on UK roads.

For now, the partnership signals long‑term intent rather than an immediate change for fleet buyers.