Latest facts and figures about cellcentric and NextGen 
fuel cell system for sustainable, economic heavy-duty transport

Discover how cellcentric's NextGen fuel cell system revolutionizes heavy-duty transport with CO2-neutral, cost-effective solutions for long-haul fleets.

cellcentric NextGen Fuel Cells: Sustainable Trucking

CO2-neutral fuel cell systems can make a significant contribution to decarbonizing heavy-duty long-distance transport and thus effectively protect the environment. For long-haul heavy-duty fleet operators - who literally keep global infrastructures running - TCO (total cost of ownership) is the decisive criterion. Powered by the latest cellcentric NextGen fuel cell system, Class 8 trucks can become an indispensable option for both - environmentally- and cost-conscious operators - thanks to their expected TCO benchmark performance.

NextGen fuel cell system - detailed deep dive at ACT Expo

High power, low weight, long range, high flexibility, zero emissions - cellcentric will be presenting further details of its advanced NextGen fuel cell system for global heavy-duty road transport in North America at the ACT Expo 2025 in Anaheim (CA) from April 28 to 30 (booth 4937). A virtual model provides a preview of the dimensions and design of the game-changing new generation of heavy-duty fuel cell systems. With a total weight of approx. 400 kg, this new system is designed for conventional 13-liter diesel engine compartments and therefore easy to integrate into existing vehicle platforms. The new single-packaging fuel cell system will combine high efficiency and performance with market leading TCO. In addition, the system is characterized by higher operating temperatures and lower cooling requirements*.

Target performance figures (*vs. benchmark cellcentric fuel cell system BZA150)

Up to 375 kW (more than 500 horsepower) continuous net power

40% reduction of waste heat at 300 kW net power*

The bottom line is - with NextGen a fully loaded 40 ton heavy-duty truck is expected to need approx. 9.7 kg of hydrogen to travel 100 miles (= 10.2 miles per kg H2).

The improvements with NextGen are expected to lead to competitive driving characteristics for customers, especially on demanding routes in North America and Europe, e.g. on long inclines, at altitude and/or high ambient temperatures.

The fuel cell stack is main driver for increased system efficiency. Hence, the cellcentric NextGen uses 3 major levers to significantly improve fuel consumption on stack level:

the increase of the active area of the stack,

improved MEA (Membrane Electrode Assembly) efficiency by implementing new catalyst formulations,

improved operating conditions and system design to fully use the benefit of cell technology (e.g. cathode pressure).

Need 300+ miles of range autonomy? Fuel cell electric trucks are the solution.

Heavy duty fuel cell systems enable highly efficient operation of heavy-duty trucks with ranges of more than 650 miles. Compared to other drive systems, fuel cell systems are lighter, allow a high payload, enable a longer range as well as rapid refilling, offer best possible flexibility comparable to diesel engines, and … are emission-free!

The weight of the complete fuel cell system with its hydrogen tank and its smaller battery is rather light, allowing a high payload. This is a major factor for customers.

The range of heavy-duty fuel cell hydrogen trucks is comparable to diesel trucks - depending on the capacity of the hydrogen tanks, the hydrogen used (>700 bar or liquid hydrogen (LH2)) and the efficiency of the fuel cell system. A clear advantage in flexibility.

Refilling at hydrogen refueling stations takes a comparable amount of time as refilling conventional trucks with diesel.

No emission - only emitting water vapor. When hydrogen is used to power a fuel cell, the only by products are water vapor and heat - no pollutants or greenhouse gases.

In addition, fuel cell systems are also suitable for comparable long-haul and heavy-duty applications such as coaches, mining vehicles, rail, and stationary power generation.


cellcentric’s fuel cell technology has matured over 30 years, giving the company extensive practical experience in the automotive sector. 

Daimler Truck AG and Volvo Group - 50:50 shareholders in cellcentric - successfully integrate cellcentric’s current BZA150 generation of fuel cell system into their prototype trucks. As a result, on-road testing provides valuable insights into performance and further development. With both shareholders cellcentric has impressively demonstrated that its fuel cell systems work reliable and efficient even under the toughest conditions - with high-altitude testing at Brenner Pass between Austria and Italy, and intensive winter testing at the Simplon Pass in Switzerland as well as at the arctic circle in Scandinavia.

Moreover, the #HydrogenRecordRun is an impressive example for fuel efficiency and range of a fully loaded 40 ton truck: In 2023 a Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck powered by two BZA150 fuel cells achieved a range of 1,047 kilometers on public roads with one filling of 80 kg of liquid H2.


Ramping up towards highly efficient large-scale production

Current production of BZA150 fuel cell systems in cellcentric's first “All under one roof” factory near Stuttgart, Germany, is a milestone towards reaching CO2-neutral and economic mobility in heavy-duty transport of tomorrow, utilizing highly efficient industrial-grade production processes. Same time, advanced engineering activities at cellcentric provide the basis for game changing further product improvements in future projects.

Furthermore, the industrialized pilot production marks another step towards the build-up of Europe's largest fuel cell production facility and further home of our advanced NextGen fuel cell system - the KLIMA|WERK factory in Weilheim, Southern Germany - which is planned by the end of the decade.

This is being done in order to scale the cellcentric production and to market the high-performance fuel cell systems worldwide to a wide range of manufacturers of heavy-duty trucks as well as of various other long-haul and heavy-duty applications.

cellcentric and its shareholders fully committed to advanced fuel cell technology

cellcentric and its shareholders, Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, are convinced that hydrogen and fuel cells are the solution for decarbonizing long-haul heavy-duty transport with Class 8 trucks and various other applications. As a Daimler Truck and Volvo Group subsidiary, cellcentric is robustly positioned to withstand market fluctuations. That’s why cellcentric is forging ahead with technological development. The practical experience with vehicle fleets from Daimler Truck and Volvo Group underlines cellcentric’s credibility.

cellcentric’s belief in advanced fuel cell technology remains. cellcentric continues to work with full effort on the decarbonization and the economic efficiency of long-haul heavy-duty transport.

cellcentric develops, produces, and markets fuel cell systems for use in heavy-duty commercial vehicles as the focus as well as offroad applications. cellcentric is a joint venture founded in 2021 between Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo Group. The company utilizes the know-how and extensive experience gained from decades of developing fuel cell systems by its predecessor companies. cellcentric’s goal is to become a leading global manufacturer of fuel cells and thus making a contribution to climate-neutral and sustainable transportation by 2050. More than 560 highly qualified employees are driving our state-of-the-art fuel cell technology forward. They work in interdisciplinary teams at our sites in Nabern, Stuttgart-Untertuerkheim, Esslingen (Germany) and Burnaby (Canada). Roughly 700 individual intellectual property rights were filed, underline the company’s leading role in technological development.

About cellcentric

Christian Kleinert

Press contact

Pioneer in Europe for development and manufacture of high-performance 
fuel cell systems for heavy-duty applications with the aim of industrial-scale production with a high degree of vertical integration.

Fuel cell technology offers the best for two worlds - decarbonization of long-haul heavy-duty transport as well as expected TCO benchmark performance for fleet operators.

cellcentric Managing Director (CCO & COO) Lars Johansson moves to Shareholder Volvo Group

cellcentric announces organizational change as Managing Director Lars Johansson moves back to volvo group after 4 years with the fuel cell joint venture.

cellcentric CCO & COO Lars Johansson Returns to Volvo Group

Kirchheim/Teck - cellcentric, the 50:50 fuel cell joint venture of Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo Group, announces a change in organizational structure. After 4 years at cellcentric - and the last 12 years abroad - cellcentric Managing Director (CCO & COO) Lars Johansson will move back to Sweden.

At cellcentric, Lars Johansson as part of the management team and spokesperson of the board of directors has done a great job by ramping-up cellcentric in the areas of process development, industrialization and scale-up of production, as well as active marketing of cellcentric’s fuel cell technology in markets for heavy-duty transport applications. From May on he will be contributing his knowledge and commitment to the Volvo Group as Senior Vice President for Project and Product Strategy Office and continues to support the transformation to CO2-neutral transportation and success of new technologies such as fuel cells.

“It has been 4 fantastic years at cellcentric and it's with a lot of emotions I have decided to leave this fantastic team and move from Schwaben to Sweden”, Lars Johansson says. “What we have achieved together in recent years is truly groundbreaking. I am 100% sure we are on the right way to success.”

For the past four years, Lars Johansson has been firmly convinced day after day that the transformation to CO2-neutral transportation requires Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles. “And cellcentric have the best and most competitive Fuel Cell System tailor made for heavy-duty long-haul applications, a vertical integrated production for series industrialization and volume scaling, as well as the best, most competent and amazing team,” summarizes Lars Johansson.

Structural changes for consistent implementation

With the departure of Lars Johansson as cellcentric Managing Director (CCO & COO), the responsibility for External Affairs and Sales, Marketing and Communication will move to Nicholas Loughlan, Managing Director & Chief Technology Officer and thereby also taking over as the spokesperson for the cellcentric management board effective by May 1, 2025.

Nicholas Loughlan says: "We would like to thank Lars not only for his dedication to cellcentric's mission, but also for being a fantastic colleague. We wish him all the best in his new assignment at the Volvo Group."

The recruitment of the successor for Lars Johansson as Managing Director and COO at cellcentric is currently ongoing.

cellcentric develops, produces, and markets fuel cell systems for use in heavy-duty commercial vehicles as the focus as well as offroad applications. cellcentric is a joint venture founded in 2021 between Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo Group. The company utilizes the know-how and extensive experience gained from decades of developing fuel cell systems by its predecessor companies. cellcentric’s goal is to become a leading global manufacturer of fuel cells and thus making a contribution to climate-neutral and sustainable transportation by 2050. More than 560 highly qualified employees are driving our state-of-the-art fuel cell technology forward. They work in interdisciplinary teams at our sites in Kirchheim/Teck, Stuttgart, Esslingen (Germany) and Burnaby (Canada). Roughly 700 individual intellectual property rights were filed, underline the company’s leading role in technological development.

Lars Johansson, Managing Director (CCO & COO), will leave the company at his own request on April 30, 2025.

The Advisory Board and Management Board would like to thank Lars Johansson. His commitment and expertise had a decisive influence for the ramp up of cellcentric especially for the industrialization and scale-up of production.

cellcentric takes important steps in preparation for large scale production of fuel cells for trucks

cellcentric is building the KLIMA|WERK for fuel cell production in Weilheim/Teck - a step towards decarbonizing heavy goods transport by 2030.

cellcentric notarizes property for KLIMA|WERK - fuel cell production for CO2-neutral heavy goods transport

Kirchheim/Teck - After delays in recent years, cellcentric and the city of Weilheim/Teck notarized on December 20, 2024 the desired land acquisition agreement for the property on which the KLIMA|WERK is to be built. KLIMA|WERK will be cellcentrics future central site for large-scale production and commercialization of the innovative NextGen fuel cell system for trucks on the way to the decarbonization of long-haul and heavy-duty transport.

“cellcentric is preparing for the future scaling of fuel cell systems by already firmly reserving 16 ha of land in Weilheim. Our company is thus part of driving the transformation towards a sustainable transportation industry,” says Niklas Ekström, Chief Financial Officer at cellcentric.

The central component for the subsequent scaling is the construction of a suitably designed fuel cell production site - the KLIMA|WERK. The aim of cellcentric is to implement the start of operations for large-scale production at the Weilheim/Teck site in line with the introduction of EU CO2 legislation - according to current estimates, this will happen around 2030.

For cellcentric, maximum flexibility in terms of scope of work and start-up speed of the KLIMA|WERK is of crucial importance. This requirement was realized by the city of Weilheim with this option agreement. The required flexibility caused by the transformation in the automotive industry, the delayed development of the necessary hydrogen infrastructure, and the availability and pricing of green hydrogen means that also cellcentric can only act according to the volatile market environment at present. The company is thus flexibly positioning itself for different ramp-up scenarios for fuel cell trucks in order to be able to react optimally to future market conditions.

The company wants to be prepared in case a longer ramp-up phase is necessary. This can currently be observed in the market for electric vehicles. Ultimately, the right time of market growth must be planned for the investment in Weilheim.

Meanwhile, cellcentric is therefore continuing to drive forward the industrialization of the current fuel cell production utilizing highly efficient industrial-grade production processes at the existing, modern site in Esslingen. This is an important milestone on the road to large-scale production according to automotive standards, using efficient production processes, and at the same time to CO2-neutral mobility in tomorrow's heavy-duty transport.

The development of fuel cell trucks is also being driven forward on the shareholder side. The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck is just as suitable for flexible and demanding long-haul road transportation as conventional diesel trucks. In September 2023, Daimler Truck successfully demonstrated this, when a public road approved prototype of the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck completed the #HydrogenRecordRun, covering 1,047 km with one tank filling of liquid hydrogen on board. Already five customers are currently deploying these trucks in initial customer trials, gaining first experience with fuel cell vehicles. It is anticipated that another fleet of 100 next generation fuel cell trucks will be delivered from the end of 2026 onwards. All in preparation for a planned series production of fuel cell trucks towards the end of the decade.

Fuel cell electric vehicles are, in parallel with battery electric and combustion engines running on biofuels such as hydrogen, an integral part of the Volvo Group’s strategy to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. After showcasing its first fuel cell solutions in 2023, Volvo Group is continuing the testing of its fuel cell electric trucks on public roads – most notably in the extra-challenging cold climates of the Arctic Circle – and are preparing for customer trials.

cellcentric develops, produces, and markets fuel cell systems for use in heavy-duty commercial vehicles as the focus as well as offroad applications. cellcentric is a joint venture founded in 2021 between Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo Group. The company utilizes the know-how and extensive experience gained from decades of developing fuel cell systems by its predecessor companies. cellcentric’s goal is to become a leading global manufacturer of fuel cells and thus making a contribution to climate-neutral and sustainable transportation by 2050. More than 560 highly qualified employees are driving our state-of-the-art fuel cell technology forward. They work in interdisciplinary teams at our sites in Kirchheim/Teck, Stuttgart, Esslingen (Germany) and Burnaby (Canada). Around 700 individual patents granted, underline the company’s leading role in technological development.

cellcentric - the fuel cell joint venture of Daimler Truck and Volvo Group - and the city of Weilheim conclude a land acquisition option contract for the future large scale Fuel Cell production.

Preparation for industrialization of fuel cell manufacturing is ongoing at the pilot factory in Esslingen.

Discover cellcentric's innovative fuel cell systems for climate-neutral mobility. Join our mission to revolutionize sustainable transportation by 2050.

cellcentric: Sustainable Fuel Cells for Mobility

cellcentric's mission is to become a leading global manufacturer of fuel cells, enabling the world to take a major step towards climate-neutral and sustainable mobility by 2050.

We power sustainable life

Our NextGen fuel cell system is the answer to the heavy-duty long-haul requirements. More than 30 years of experience in fuel cell system development, and optimization and production with automotive focus have culminated in this system.

The game-changer for heavy-duty fuel cell applications

The predecessor system did more than just pave the way for our next generation of fuel cell systems. It also demonstrated our focus on heavy-duty applications and showed that fuel cells can travel long distances on a single charge. This is also the fuel cell system that we produce at our Esslingen plant.

One fuel cell system for multiple use-cases

The success of future sustainability efforts will depend on more than just efficient fuel cell systems. Therefore, a growing hydrogen infrastructure is needed to enable a wider operating radius and more fuel cell trucks. Something as part of the H2 ecosystem, which cellcentric actively supports.

The future fuel for heavy-duty vehicles

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