GRUBER Logistics and Scania: Hydrogen pioneers in Italy with the first truck on road test
The partnership between GRUBER and Scania is part of the European ZEFES project and represents the first road trial of a hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicle in Italy. Scania focuses on electrification, but is consistently committed to gaining a deep understanding of all forms of sustainable transport.
The development of hydrogen heavy-duty vehicles is in an early stage and is currently mainly focused on pilot projects across Europe. In this context, the collaboration between GRUBER Logistics and Scania helps position Italy among the countries at the forefront of developing and testing hydrogen solutions for heavy transport. Starting from May 2026, a Scania 40 R equipped with fuel cell technology will enter a real-world testing phase together with the South Tyrolean logistics operator.
The initiative is part of the European ZEFES project, which aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of freight transport in Europe through real-world road trials of battery-electric (BEV) and hydrogen-powered (FCEV) heavy vehicles.
“It is important to emphasize that this vehicle, despite not yet being in mass production, will be used by GRUBER Logistics for real operations. Indeed, thanks to our collaboration with industry leaders such as Nestlé, P&G, Verallia Italia, ABB and Birra Forst, we will be transporting real commercial loads. This is an important step towards accelerating the deployment of new technologies and immediately understanding the potential challenges a logistics operator must face through their use,” states Martin Gruber, CEO of GRUBER Logistics.
This trial is part of the broader Scania Pilot Partner strategy of testing technologies and architectures in collaboration with selected customers to gain practical insights essential for the transition toward low- or zero-emission transport.
The FCEV vehicle: a BEV tractor with H2 tanks for greater range
Thanks to the modular approach, the three-axle tractor unit is based on the BEV platform, onto which hydrogen tanks and a fuel cell system have been integrated. It is important to emphasize that hydrogen is not combusted: it is used as an energy carrier and converted into electricity via a fuel cell. The objective is to evaluate operational performance, range, and refuelling procedures under real operating conditions.
Compared to a “pure” BEV, a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) offers several advantages and considerations worth highlighting:
- Greater range: the fuel cell system generally enables longer operating distances compared to BEV configurations with equivalent battery packs;
- Short refuelling times: hydrogen refuelling can be completed in 20 minutes, significantly faster than fast battery charging times;
- Infrastructure and energy decentralisation: the hydrogen distribution and refuelling network can be easier to decentralise and manage for certain logistics operations, facilitating use in complex and decentralized applications.
“Taking advantage of Scania’s typical modular approach, we utilized the BEV platform by integrating it with fuel cell technology. This is not a vehicle optimized in its final configuration, but a transition solution that allows us to leverage the developments of the electric driveline and evaluate the behavior of the fuel cell system under real-world conditions. The next step will consist of optimizing the layout to reduce dimensions and the battery packs, which are currently oversized,” states Simone Martinelli, Sales Manager E-mobility, Urban & Construction Sales at Scania Italia.
Technical specifications:
Scania 40R FCEV
Range: Up to 1,000 km (690 km on H2 + 310 km on battery)
Battery capacity: 416 kWh (installed), 345 kWh (usable)
Charging: CCS2 500 A (350 kW)
Hydrogen capacity: 56 kg (4 tanks) at 700 bar
Refueling time: 20 minutes (700 bar pre-cooled high flow)
Fuel Cell Power: 300 kW
Electric Machine Power: 400 kW
Consumption: 0.1 kg/km; 1.1 kWh/km
Length: vehicle 7.35 m; vehicle + trailer 17.4 m
Vehicle weight: 13.8 tonnes
Gross vehicle weight (GVW): 44 tonnes
Payload: 23 tonnes
In addition to road operations, refueling tests, static and dynamic demonstrations, and participation in trade fairs and technical conferences are planned to share results and best practices with the industry.
The first event is scheduled for Transpotec 2026, where Scania and GRUBER Logistics will delve into the initiative during a public event scheduled for Thursday, May 14 at 12:00 PM (Hall 22, Scania stand). Throughout the trade fair, visitors will be able to see the vehicle in person, displayed in the outdoor static exhibition area. The vehicle will also be available to visitors of the GRUBER Logistics Innovation Summit on May 27 at the Safety Park in Bolzano and on May 28 at the NOI Techpark, also in Bolzano.