KEYOU and GP JOULE partner to deliver hydrogen trucks and green refuelling in Germany
GP JOULE and KEYOU have formed a strategic partnership to offer German logistics operators a combined hydrogen truck and refuelling package, designed to lower barriers to zero-emission transport.
Under the agreement, GP JOULE will supply green hydrogen from its network of renewable-powered filling stations, while KEYOU will provide 40-tonne hydrogen combustion trucks through a rental model that includes servicing, maintenance and roadside assistance.
The two companies said the offer is intended to provide a “comprehensive solution” for fleet decarbonisation – and help overcome the long-standing infrastructure gap that has held back hydrogen mobility in the heavy-duty sector.
Trucks and fuel, as a service
KEYOU’s vehicles are based on the Daimler Actros platform and run on hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2-ICE), which the company says produce no CO₂ at the tailpipe.
The Munich-based firm began selling its 40-tonne trucks in late 2024, with full market entry expected in 2026.
The first 18-tonne unit from its pre-series fleet was recently delivered to Regensburg-based EP Trans for regional use near Nuremberg.
The trucks are offered as part of an “H2 Mobility as a Service” package, which KEYOU said includes full-service support, 24/7 roadside assistance and insurance cover.
By bundling trucks and services, the company aims to reduce the complexity and upfront risk often associated with hydrogen vehicle deployment.
Green fuel from renewables
Hydrogen refuelling will be provided by GP JOULE, which has already opened green hydrogen stations in North Friesland and Bremerhaven.
New stations in Kiel and Waiblingen are under construction. All are supplied with green hydrogen produced via electrolysis using renewable electricity, according to the firm.
“As an integrated energy provider, we can offer companies a regional and practical way to convert their fleets,” said Benjamin Jödecke, Head of Mobility at GP JOULE Hydrogen. “For the heavy-duty transportation sector in particular, mobility with green hydrogen is a perfect complement to battery-electric mobility.”
GP JOULE said the partnership aligns with its wider push to integrate hydrogen production, refuelling and end-use across the transport value chain – a model it believes is essential to scaling up adoption.
Solving the chicken and the egg problem
Pedro Bravo, Chief Sales Officer at KEYOU, described the agreement as the company’s “most extensive” infrastructure partnership to date.
“Only with a combination of everyday-use vehicles and the corresponding infrastructure can hydrogen mobility – and thus our technology – develop its full potential,” he said.
Bravo added that joint efforts to identify and acquire customers would be key to building market traction. “Our collaboration with GP JOULE is a significant step in solving the chicken-and-egg problem,” he said.
The companies are targeting initial deployment in selected regions of Germany, and plan to expand both vehicle availability and refuelling coverage in parallel over the next 18 months.
