Toyota Joins Volvo & Daimler for Hydrogen Truck Future

The world's biggest truckmakers just got serious about hydrogen power, and it's happening faster than anyone expected.

Toyota is joining forces with Volvo Group and Daimler Truck as an equal shareholder in cellcentric, a specialized company focused on developing fuel cell systems for heavy-duty trucks and commercial vehicles. The three companies signed a memorandum of understanding in March 2025, setting the stage for a partnership that could transform how goods move around the world.

This isn't just another corporate handshake. Toyota brings over 30 years of fuel cell development from passenger cars, while Volvo and Daimler Truck contribute deep expertise in commercial vehicle engineering and real-world deployment.

cellcentric already employs more than 560 people across Germany and Canada and holds roughly 700 patents related to fuel cell technology. Now with Toyota onboard, the company aims to become a global leader in fuel cell systems for trucks, off-road machinery, and similar applications.

"We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to soon be joining Daimler Truck and Volvo Group as partners in building a hydrogen society," said Koji Sato, Toyota's President and CEO. The collaboration recognizes that battery-electric solutions face limitations in certain heavy transport segments, particularly for long-haul trucking and industrial equipment.

The partnership will focus on developing fuel cell unit cells, the core components of fuel cell systems, along with control systems and architecture. By combining technologies from all three companies, they plan to produce competitive fuel cell solutions at commercial scale.

The Ripple Effect

This collaboration sends a powerful signal to the entire transportation industry. When three competitors decide to work together on clean technology, suppliers, customers, and infrastructure providers pay attention.

Martin Lundstedt, Volvo Group's CEO, emphasized that bringing great companies together is essential for accelerating the transformation to net-zero transportation. The partnership could help speed up the buildout of hydrogen infrastructure, making it easier for other companies to adopt the technology.

cellcentric will remain independent and serve customers beyond its three shareholders, even as Toyota, Volvo, and Daimler Truck continue competing in their respective vehicle markets. This open approach could help hydrogen technology spread faster across the industry.

Founded in 2021 as a joint venture between Volvo and Daimler Truck, cellcentric is now positioned to become a major supplier of fuel cell systems worldwide. Adding Toyota's decades of experience in hydrogen technology gives the company even stronger capabilities to deliver on that promise.

For anyone who's wondered how we'll decarbonize the massive trucks that keep goods flowing across continents, this partnership offers a glimpse of the answer taking shape right now.