Hydrogen Trucks: Where Things Stand

Promise Meets Pavement

Gauging the future of vehicle fuel

We’ve been tracking hydrogen fuel cell technology in commercial trucking since 2017. Back then, the promise was enormous and the timeline was uncertain. Nearly a decade later, a cleaner picture has emerged. It’s not the revolution some predicted. It’s something more durable: slow, serious, structural progress.

Nikola Corporation, the startup that once dominated hydrogen trucking headlines, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2025. It’s a cautionary story about startup capital and timelines, and it’s worth noting. But it’s not the story of hydrogen trucking.

The manufacturers doing the real work are the established heavyweights. Toyota has moved its Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell trucks out of the pilot phase and into production-level fleet operation, running routes from the Port of Long Beach to its North America Parts Center in Ontario, California. Hyundai’s XCIENT Fuel Cell truck, the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck, has now been deployed in 13 countries and has accumulated over 13 million kilometers since its 2020 launch. Volvo, meanwhile, has begun on-road testing of hydrogen combustion engine trucks, with a commercial launch planned before 2030.

The performance case for long-haul applications is becoming harder to argue against. Hydrogen trucks typically achieve ranges exceeding 300 miles per fill, with refueling times of roughly 10 to 15 minutes, far more practical than the hours required to recharge battery-electric vehicles on long-distance routes.

The honest challenge remains infrastructure. As of early 2025, just seven hydrogen refueling stations in North America were equipped to service Class 3 through Class 8 vehicles, with only three of those capable of handling Class 7 and Class 8 trucks. That number is growing, but primarily through private, fleet-dedicated stations built around specific deployments. Hyundai’s HTWO Energy Savannah facility opened in late 2025 to support its XCIENT fleet at the Georgia Metaplant. Toyota is building dedicated fueling infrastructure at its North American Parts Center in Ontario, California. The public corridor network still needs to catch up, but the private model is proving the concept.

What we’re watching in 2026 is an industry consolidating around players with the engineering depth and capital to see it through. The startups tested the concept. The manufacturers are building the future.