Scania hydrogen fuel-cell HGVs enter road trials with John G Russell
Scottish transport and logistics operator John G Russell (Transport) Ltd is set to become one of the first UK operators to use hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in daily operations.
The Glasgow-based company has taken ownership of three prototype Scania FCEVs at Scania’s flagship Scottish service branch at Eurocentral.
The vehicles will enter full real-world operational testing on UK roads. The deployment marks an important milestone for hydrogen HGVs and the wider UK road freight decarbonisation programme.
The trio of FCEVs are part of Scania’s Pilot Partner programme
The three trucks form part of the ZENFreight project. The initiative sits within the Zero Emission HGVs & Infrastructure Demonstrator programme (ZEHID), funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
Stephen Madden, Group Fleet Engineer at John G Russell, said: “We are committed to delivering sustainable logistics through innovation and the use of cutting-edge technology to reduce environmental impact.
“As a key part of our customers’ supply chains, we have always taken this responsibility seriously, from our early adoption of intermodal operations in the 1970s to our current involvement in UK-wide decarbonisation trials.
“We identified early on that hydrogen could play a critical role in delivering a true carbon zero solution for non-urban logistics. In response, we built partnerships with organisations and experts who could help bring Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles to the UK, alongside investing in the infrastructure needed to support them.
“The ZEHID demonstration project marks a significant step forward. It enables us to invest in and trial both hydrogen and battery electric vehicles, along with refuelling solutions, in realworld heavy-duty operations.
“This is an exciting opportunity to build confidence in zero-emission freight. By operating three of Scania’s prototype FCEVs in the UK, we are proud to be at the forefront of a pioneering initiative that will help accelerate the transition to cleaner, greener logistics.”
Dr Isabella Panovic, Programme Manager – Zero Emission Road Freight, Innovate UK, said: “John G Russell and Scania’s UK-first deployment of hydrogen fuel cell HGVs is an important step for the ZEHID programme and demonstrating the real-world operation of zero-emission freight technologies.
“The insights gained from these vehicles will be invaluable in helping industry and government understand where hydrogen can play a role alongside battery electric solutions in delivering a net zero freight future. Innovate UK are delighted to see John G Russell and Scania leading the way with this UK-first deployment.”
Scania hydrogen HGV technology
Scania’s Pilot Partner division in Sweden developed the three hydrogen fuel-cell trucks. They form part of a 16-vehicle prototype fleet undergoing real-world testing with customers across Europe.
The programme aims to assess hydrogen HGVs in different operational conditions. This includes variations in climate, topography and operating environments.
The three trucks use Scania’s latest 6×2*4 battery electric truck platform. Each vehicle features a 400kW electric machine and 416kWh of installed battery capacity.
Scania predicts an electric-only range of up to 300km at a gross vehicle weight of 44 tonnes. A 300kW Cummins fuel-cell engine sits beneath the cab.
Hydrogen storage tanks at the rear can hold up to 56kg of hydrogen at 700 bar. A cooling fan system also regulates coolant temperature.
The fuel-cell system extends the estimated overall range to up to 850km. The trucks use a hybrid powertrain that gives operators several options.
John G Russell can draw power from the electric motor, the fuel-cell engine or both systems together. The fuel cell can also act as a range extender for the battery pack.
Collaboration is key for Scania
Mark Bridgland, Sales Director for Scania UK, said: “We’re delighted to be working with John G Russell and helping them on their decarbonisation journey.
“At Scania, innovation is at the heart of everything we do, and it’s great to work closely with a customer who has the same entrepreneurial spirit and desire as we do to make a positive impact on society and the environment.
“For a collaboration of this nature to be successful, it is vital that we work together to overcome any barriers and hurdles together. While also sharing all the intelligence we gain on how these vehicles perform – from an engineering and an operational perspective too.
“Seeing how our Pilot Partner prototype FCEV trucks perform day-to-day on the UK roads with John G Russell will be fascinating. It will be interesting to see what insight, learnings and data we get at the end of the trial. It will be invaluable.”
Tony Sandberg, Head of Pilot Partner at Scania, said: “We are so happy to be part of this project alongside the ZENFreight consortium and pioneering customer John G Russell.
“John G Russell’s commitment to innovation and sustainability demonstrates what is possible when an ambitious transport operator works closely with its partners.
“Together we will learn more about how hydrogen fuel cell technology works in the realworld, and the benefits it could create. By learning together through real world operations, we can help move the transport industry towards a more sustainable, resilient and secure future.”
Scania and Toyota expand fuel-cell testing
Scania is also expanding its hydrogen fuel-cell development work through a partnership with Toyota.
In September, the companies announced plans to test fuel-cell technology in real-world logistics with a further 40 trucks.
The vehicles will join Scania’s Pilot Partner programme. The first are scheduled to enter customer operations during the first quarter of 2027.
They will use Toyota’s third-generation fuel-cell system, providing another opportunity to assess hydrogen technology in demanding heavy-duty applications.
For UK fleet operators, the John G Russell trial will provide practical data on the performance of hydrogen HGVs in everyday freight operations. It will also help assess how fuel-cell trucks could work alongside battery-electric vehicles as operators plan their long-term decarbonisation strategies.
