Hydrogen News: MAN hTGX Demo Truck Arrives at Green Planet’s Hydrogen Refueling Station

Green Planet in Pesse, Drenthe, officially has put a MAN hTGX hydrogen demonstration truck into service, marking a notable moment in hydrogen news, green hydrogen news and hydrogen fuel news. The event showcased a fully operational heavy-duty vehicle running on hydrogen instead of diesel, offering local logistics operators a chance to assess hydrogen vehicles under real conditions. Attendees witnessed the truck’s first refueling at a hydrogen refueling station designed for high-pressure dispensing, underlining the practical side of hydrogen infrastructure in road freight.

Project Background and Partners

This practical demo sits at the intersection of vehicle technology, fueling infrastructure and collaborative financing. Green Planet operates a multifuel site offering hydrogen, diesel and other fuels, while MAN Truck & Bus supplied the hTGX demo vehicle. Dealer networks Roordink Bedrijfswagens and Wierda Bedrijfswagens serve as access points for operators who want to borrow the truck. Support comes from transport insurer TVM verzekeringen and local government, with an alderman from the Municipality of Hoogeveen attending the handover. Funds from the DKTI-Transport programme and the HEAVENN project link this pilot to broader clean hydrogen offtake agreements and hydrogen project financing.

Technical Overview of the MAN hTGX

The MAN hTGX is equipped with a hydrogen combustion engine that operates much like a conventional diesel powertrain but burns hydrogen, emitting mainly water vapor at the tailpipe. It’s rated at 520 horsepower with 2,500 Nm of torque, storing 56 kilograms of hydrogen across four tanks at 700 bar. This design addresses key constraints in heavy transport: sufficient range—around 600 kilometers—coupled with fast refill times of ten to fifteen minutes. In contrast to hydrogen fuel cell vs battery electric powertrains, hydrogen combustion keeps a familiar engine layout while exploring hydrogen storage methods for road haulage.

On-Site Demonstration and Refueling Experience

Visitors saw the truck driven from Hoogeveen town hall to the Green Planet station along the A28 corridor, illustrating typical logistics routes in Drenthe. At Green Planet, hydrogen is stored on-site and dispensed through a high-pressure nozzle system. The short downtime for refueling mirrors diesel stops, making it easier to slot hydrogen trucks into existing schedules. This setup highlights the maturity of hydrogen infrastructure and the station’s readiness for regular heavy-duty operations.

Hands-On Trials with Transport Operators

Rather than remain a static exhibit, the MAN hTGX is being rotated among several fleet operators. BORK Groep and Lubbers Transport have already tested the vehicle in live service, with Vredeveld Transport and Zuidema Groep lined up next. Operators evaluate uptime, payload capacity, driver ergonomics and route compatibility. Thanks to dealer channels, transport companies can request the demo unit, exploring are hydrogen cars viable analogies in their own heavy-duty context and generating real-world data.

Regional Logistics Context

The province of Drenthe, largely rural with agricultural and cross-border freight activity, depends on efficient road links like the A28. Pesse, a village in the Hoogeveen municipality, offers a strategic stopping point for trucks moving goods between the Netherlands and Germany. Local transport operators handle a mix of bulk, retail and agriproducts deliveries, so they face varied payloads and schedules. By hosting a hydrogen truck demo here, the project taps into active freight flows and tests how green hydrogen vehicles perform over mixed driving cycles, temperature conditions and loading regimes common in European logistics.

European Pilot Projects and History

This demo follows on the heels of European initiatives such as the H2Haul project and H2-Share, which ran from 2019 through 2026 to trial hydrogen trucks and innovative refueling stations across multiple countries. These efforts built technical know-how around hydrogen production methods and station design. The Green Planet pilot continues that tradition, offering fresh lessons on integrating heavy-duty hydrogen fueling points into local and cross-border networks.

Comparing Technologies and Duty Cycles

Heavy freight already relies on mechanical familiarity, so a hydrogen combustion engine can ease transition compared with a full hydrogen fuel cell news rollout or battery swaps. However, fuel cells offer higher electrical efficiency, while batteries eliminate tailpipe emissions entirely. Operators weigh hydrogen fuel cell vs battery electric pros and cons: hydrogen wins on range and refueling speed, whereas batteries excel on energy use and lower upstream losses if charged from renewables.

Hydrogen Supply Chain and Production

Currently, hydrogen for the Green Planet site is sourced externally, reflecting most commercial practice. Green hydrogen production from renewable electrolysis remains limited, so gray or blue hydrogen—produced via methane reforming with or without carbon capture—still dominates. Investors and policymakers track this balance closely: the carbon footprint of hydrogen hinges on its production route. Discussions around what is green hydrogen versus blue or gray underpin efforts to match supply with clean off-take agreements.

Economic Considerations and Policy Support

Rolling out heavy-duty hydrogen fueling points and demo trucks requires substantial investment. Public funding through DKTI-Transport and the Clean Hydrogen Partnership helps de-risk early pilots, but commercial viability will depend on scaling station networks, streamlining hydrogen storage costs, and securing stable clean hydrogen offtake agreements. Industry watchers note that long-term financing models must align station operators, vehicle OEMs, insurers and fleet buyers.

Environmental Impacts

At the tailpipe, burning hydrogen eliminates direct CO₂ emissions, although nitrogen oxides can still form at high combustion temperatures. True climate benefits depend on low-carbon hydrogen, ideally made via renewable-powered electrolysis. If gray hydrogen without capture is used, upstream emissions undercut local gains. Pilots like this one help quantify real-world efficiency, informing future standards and subsidy schemes in clean hydrogen news.

Looking Ahead

As the MAN hTGX completes its rounds among transport companies, it will yield data on reliability, operational costs and driver acceptance. These insights will guide both policymakers and private investors contemplating hydrogen infrastructure expansion. While battery-electric trucks advance in regional haul segments, hydrogen could carve out a niche for longer routes and quick turnaround needs. The Green Planet demo is a telling snapshot of where the heavy-duty hydrogen roadmap stands today—and where it might head tomorrow.