The use of Hydrogen in the Mobility sector is increasingly emerging as a key player on the road to climate neutrality by 2050. Although its versatility and efficiency make it a cross-cutting solution for all types of transport, everything points to its use in heavy transport vehicles for long distances and passenger transport, where we will finally see a major commitment from manufacturers.

The hydrogen roadmap for mobility

The Hydrogen Roadmap approved by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) foresees the deployment of at least 150 buses; 5,000 light and heavy vehicles; and 2 lines of commercial trains powered by renewable hydrogen.

What kind of vehicles already run on hydrogen?

In a previous post we discussed the drawbacks of hydrogen deployment in passenger cars. However, in other transport segments, the future of hydrogen is promising. Numerous manufacturers around the world are betting on the development of vehicles powered by this energy vector in the heavy goods and passenger transport segment: trucks, buses, trains, planes and ships. The advantages are clear: longer range, lighter weight, faster refuelling and better performance in extreme conditions.

Hydrogen trucks

Manufacturers such as Hyndai, Toyota and Nikola have developed fuel cell trucks (FCEV): Hyundai XCIENT, Nikola Tre or Toyota-Kenworth T680 FCEV. In the field of hydrogen internal combustion trucks (HICEV), MAN Hydrogen Truck (prototype) and Cummins H2-ICE stand out.

Hydrogen buses

Public transport is also committed to sustainable mobility with hydrogen buses from brands such as Toyota, Solaris, Caetano Bus and Van Hool. In Spain, the commitment is firm. Cities such as Barcelona, for example, already have a fleet of 46 buses and will soon incorporate 36 more. In Madrid, 11 hydrogen buses also operate.

Hydrogen trains

The adoption of hydrogen trains is still at an early stage. In Spain, Talgo is developing the Vittal-One project, a hydrogen train designed for commuter and medium-distance services. The Hympulso project, also led by Talgo together with a consortium of several companies, is developing the first high-speed train for long distances. CAF participates in the FCH2Rail project, which has developed a bimodal train that combines catenary energy with a hybrid fuel cell and battery system. In Europe, companies such as Alstom, Siemens Mobility and Stadler are also exploring the use of hydrogen in the rail sector. Germany, for example, already has a fleet of 16 trains from the manufacturer Alstom, and has become the first country in the world to operate a fleet of hydrogen trains.

Hydrogen aircraft

In the aviation sector, companies such as Airbus and startups such as ZeroAvia are developing hydrogen aircraft prototypes, with the first commercial models expected to operate in the 2030s.

Hydrogen ships

Finally, maritime transport is another major challenge on the roadmap to climate neutrality. There are some prototypes and pilot projects underway, but large-scale commercial applications remain limited. Companies such as Maersk and Babiera are investing in projects to develop hydrogen-powered ships in Spain. Regarding port logistics, the H2Ports Project stands out—a pilot project located in the Port of Valencia aimed at incorporating hydrogen into logistics operations.

What challenges does hydrogen mobility face?

As we have seen, hydrogen has great potential to decarbonize transportation in the long term, but its widespread adoption will require significant technological, regulatory, and infrastructure advancements in the coming years.

Some of the most important challenges that hydrogen must overcome include:

Limited Infrastructure: Currently, there are only 11 hydrogen refueling stations in Spain, a figure far from the 100-150 stations planned by MITECO for 2030. Additionally, the deployment of hydrogen production plants and the distribution network to refueling stations is proving to be both costly and slow.
Cost and Efficiency: The production of green hydrogen remains more expensive than fossil fuels and other alternatives, such as electric batteries. Furthermore, current hydrogen production and conversion processes involve significant energy losses.

Beyond its use in mobility, developing a renewable hydrogen economy could help Spain position itself as a technological leader and one of the key European players in the fight for decarbonization and climate neutrality.

At Lexier, we are proud to be part of an ecosystem of companies that are helping Spain move towards a climate-neutral economy.

Hydrogen Mobility: Towards Climate Neutrality