Top five German automobile companies that are working on hydrogen fuel cell technology
Discover the top five German companies leading the development of hydrogen fuel-cell technology
Aqib
November 16, 2025
Germany is playing a major role in advancing transition towards hydrogen fuel cell technology. Several major German companies are investing in hydrogen innovation, developing fuel-cell systems, hydrogen-powered vehicles. In this blog, we explore the top five German companies actively working on hydrogen fuel-cell development.
In automative industry BMW Group is a major German multinational corporation. Brands under BMW Group are BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Mottorad. They are spreading globally as they are operating over 30 production sites around the world and a global sales network. It’s a leading manufacturer of premium cars and motorcycles and also offers financial and mobility services.
They (BMW) have plan to launch the first hydrogen-powered production model in 2028 after testing BMW iX5 pilot fleet worldwide successfully. BMW will offer hydrogen fuel cell drive system variant as they view it as complementing the drive technology used by battery electric vehicles (BEV) and next to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and internal combustion engines (ICE).
A pilot fleet of the iX5 Hydrogen developed by BMW which offers consistently high output of 125 kW/170 hp. BMW Group developed the world’s most powerful passenger-car fuel-cell system and a special, dedicated battery for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen. The individual cells are manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation for the BMW Group.
BMW Group participate in the research project BRYSON that shows their Interest in future viability and potential of hydrogen fuel cell technology. They aim to develop pioneering high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks.
Volkswagen Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of automobiles and commercial vehicle and the largest carmaker in Europe. They are working on zero-emission and autonomous future of mobility.
Volkswagen Group includes ten brands: Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, ŠKODA, SEAT, CUPRA, Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche and Ducati (from which five brands are from European countries)
In 2014 Volkswagen Group developed hydrogen-powered Golf Estate and Passat. Hydrogen is stored in tanks mounted within the floor of the Golf Estate Hymotion's MQB platform at a pressure of 700bar. This hydrogen is used to power the fuel cell.
Volkswagen Group (VW Group) make a deal with Hyundai-Kia for fuel cell technology. According to that Audi will lead the cooperation that includes all Volkswagen (VW) brands and Kia. VW would 'cross license' hydrogen fuel cell parts. The deal helps both Hyundai and Audi. The Fuel Cell Competence Center is placed at Audi’s Neckarsulm site for VW Group .
VW's leadership does not see hydrogen passenger cars in this decade. In 2023 in an interview Volkswagen Passenger Cars CEO Thomas Schäfer says “Hydrogen is not for us. No. Hydrogen is pure physics and it’s expensive. It’s not competitive, especially not for passenger cars, whose tanks take up space in the cabin. Maybe for commercial vehicles, but not in the passenger car. So, I don’t see this happening in this decade. Not at Volkswagen.” Moreover, Batteries are having priority over fuel cells in VW’s public roadmap.
Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess does not see hydrogen technology as the future. In an interview with Financial Times he says, "You won’t see any hydrogen usage in cars". He more added “Not even in 10 years, because the physics behind it are so unreasonable.” Diess sees battery power as more favorable option.
VW Group is not ignoring hydrogen fuel-cell technology as they have done real R&D, have a cooperation with Hyundai-Kia. But they give favors to battery-electric vehicles as their top leadership has expressed doubts that hydrogen will be a major part of their passenger-car future. This can be due to these reasons: Fuel cell systems are expensive. Hydrogen refueling stations are limited.
Audi AG is a premium German automaker, part of the Volkswagen Group. Audi is Known for its luxury and performance cars, Audi makes sedans, SUVs, sports cars, and EVs.
Audi has been working on hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains since 2004. They introduced the Audi A7 Sportback h-tron quattro (h-tron means hydrogen) in November 2014. With this automobile they show that fuel cell car is technologically feasible.
In 2016, Audi revealed the h-tron quattro concept: a modern fuel-cell car combining a hydrogen FC stack, battery, and electric motors. This concept can boast the virtues of high range, swift refueling and sporty road performance. With powerful battery it combines a highly efficient fuel cell that can achieved an output of up to 110 kW and boost of 100 kW of temporary boost can be taken. The car is ready to drive for up to six hundred kilometers (372.8 mi) after refueling with hydrogen which takes around four minutes. The Audi h-tron quattro concept presents the fifth generation of fuel cell technology from Audi and Volkswagen having an efficiency of near sixty percent with that fuel cell can surpasses any combustion engine. The three hydrogen tanks are located. At a pressure of 700 bar, they store enough hydrogen for a range of up to 600 kilometers (372.8 mi).
In 2017 in a report, they say by 2020 they want to offer three electric cars and from 2021 they want to electrify their core car lines. By 2025 one in three Audi vehicles that will be delivered would be fully electric and that will be starting with first fully electric production in 2018.
In 2018 Audi and Hyundai signed a multi-year patent cross-licensing agreement. They will put joint efforts in developing FCEVs, to lead the automotive industry to a more sustainable future. Fuel cell technology responsibility has been taken by Audi within Volkswagen Group. At the Audi Neckarsulm site their Fuel Cell Competence Center is located. Audi will introduce the first fuel cell model as a small series production at the beginning of the next decade.
04. Daimler (Daimler Truck & Mercedes-Benz Group)
Daimler was the company that handled both cars and trucks, but in 2022 it split into two separate parts: Daimler Truck, which focuses on trucks and buses, and Mercedes-Benz Group, which focuses on cars and vans under the Mercedes-Benz brand — and even before this split, the cars were always known by the brand name Mercedes-Benz.
Mercedes-Benz is the car brand now owned by the Mercedes-Benz Group, which focuses mainly on fully electric vehicles and has very limited hydrogen development, while Daimler Truck is a separate company created after the 2022 split and is the one heavily working on hydrogen fuel-cell technology for long-haul commercial trucks. Therefore, we will discuss Daimler Truck and skip Mercedes-Benz Group, as their main focus is on electric vehicles rather than hydrogen.
Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck is a hydrogen fuel cell truck concept by Daimler Truck for long-haul transport with a range of up to thousand kilometers and more. In 2022 they say this truck has been undergoing intensive testing – both on the in-house test track and on public roads. Daimler Truck refueling first truck by liquid hydrogen (LH₂) together with Air Liquide successfully.
Two liquid hydrogen tanks and a powerful cellcentric fuel cell system having high storage capacity of 88 kg (each has 44 kg) what make this suitable for long distances. GenH2 fuel cell system can deliver 300 kW (2 x 150 kW) and an additional temporarily 400 kW provided by battery. In September 2023, GenH2 Truck covers 1,047 km using one tank filling of liquid hydrogen.
With Linde they test a new refueling process "subcooled liquid hydrogen (sLH₂)" for liquid hydrogen. it makes refueling process faster (10 - 15 minutes) and increases storage density. This is freely available to all interested companies via an ISO standard.
More than 225,000 kilometers have completed by five Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Trucks successfully in initial trail phase. A total of 100 tractor units is to be built and put into customer operations starting at the end of 2026. With a focus on Europe large-scale production of hydrogen-powered trucks is targeted for the early 2030s
In April 2020, Daimler Truck AG make an agreement with the Volvo Group to establish a new joint venture for the development, production and commercialization of fuel-cell systems for use in heavy-duty commercial vehicles and other applications. By 2093 the company has the ambition to offer only new vehicles that are CO2-neutral in driving operation in Europe, North America and Japan.
Bosch (Robert Bosch GmbH) is a German multinational engineering and technology company. They are operating in multiple sectors: mobility, consumer goods, industrial technology, energy and building technology.
Bosch makes a highly integrated solution for fuel cell electric commercial vehicles and buses. This system generates electricity from hydrogen in vehicles. It is especially used in long-distance applications. It provides up to 300 kW for higher power density and improved efficiency.
Fuel cell stack is the core of the fuel cell system. The stack generates the electrical energy that is used to power the fuel cell electric vehicle. Stack uses many fuel cells in series and in each cell a cold combustion process takes place to convert the energy into electricity. It takes energy from the chemical reaction between the continuously fed hydrogen and airbrone oxygen that is converted into electricity. Bosch start working with Swedish fuel cell stack manufacturer PowerCell Sweden AB for advancing and producing stacks jointly.
In 2025 For the first time Bosch puts its own hydrogen truck at its Nuremberg plant. The truck is equipped with the Bosch fuel-cell power module (FCPM). This is expected to cover 12,000 kilometers per year and runs on hydrogen instead of diesel. Gathering experience and data was the initially primary reason for putting the truck into service. Up to 70 kilograms can be hold by five hydrogen tanks of truck and its output over 200 kW can be delivered by its fuel cell system. Two battey packs are installed in the truck and its e-axle is powered by fuel cell system. System output of truck is 400 kW. In mid-2023 production of the FCPM at large-scale was started in Stuttgart-Feuerbach and their FCPM was nominated for the prestigious German President’s Future Prize. Plant manager Weichsel is hopeful for the future: “The fact we’ve had no problems operating this truck shows that the fuel cell is ready for volume production"
Bosch is investing in hydrogen. For development and manufacturing of their hydrogen technologies they have plan to invest nearly 2.5 billion euros between 2021 and 2026.
Bosch is working on generating hydrogen. For this purpose, they are working for the development of electrolyzers components that split water into hydrogen and oxygen using electrolysis.
With hydrogen technology generating sales of 5 billion euros by 2030 is the part of Bosch plans. By as early as 2030, They are expecting that powertrain (hydrogen fuel cell systems) will be using by one in five new trucks having weighed six tons or more.
