First Hydrogen Truck for Dry Ice Logistics

Nippon Gases Germany and the HOYER Group have put the first hydrogen-powered truck for dry ice transport into operation through close collaboration. The specially equipped vehicle, leased from hylane, was officially handed over to Nippon Gases Germany and the HOYER Group today.

Five years ago, Nippon Gases Germany, a leading industrial gases company, and the HOYER Group, a top provider of liquid bulk logistics solutions, began their journey toward sustainable transport solutions in the industrial gases sector. Initially, they employed natural gas-powered transport vehicles. Today, their collaboration with hylane GmbH marks another significant step toward ecological and environmentally friendly transport solutions. The hydrogen-powered vehicle offers an emissions-free alternative for the road transport of dry ice in boxes, reinforcing the companies' commitment to innovative and sustainable technologies.

The handover of the hydrogen truck took place on January 8, 2025, at Nippon Gases' Hürth facility. Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action, and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia, participated in a test drive as a passenger. She emphasized the importance of this technology for sustainable mobility, Germany's economic competitiveness, and climate protection.

“Hydrogen can help make freight transport climate-neutral. Especially in areas where battery-electric drives reach their limits, hydrogen-powered fuel cell trucks demonstrate their strengths with short refueling times and long ranges. That is why the state supports the establishment of hydrogen refueling stations for heavy-duty vehicles and procurement initiatives like HyTrucks.NRW. It’s clear: reducing CO2 emissions in the transport sector is a crucial step on North Rhine-Westphalia’s path to becoming Europe’s first climate-neutral industrial region,” said Mona Neubaur.

The air separation plant in Hürth is Nippon Gases Europe’s largest single production facility. It also features a major filling station for all types of industrial gases and gas mixtures produced at the site. Currently, dry ice is manufactured in Bad Hönningen. Starting in 2025, a new plant in Zörbig (eastern Germany) will begin producing dry ice from biogenic CO2 raw gas. Dry ice is used in a variety of applications, including the food and beverage industry, automotive sector, transport cooling, and object and equipment cleaning.

“Hydrogen trucks will play a key role in CO2-neutral road freight transport in the future. Nippon Gases is a pioneer in our industry, being the first industrial gases company in Germany to integrate a hydrogen truck into its logistics fleet. Even with the deployment of this single vehicle, we expect to save approximately 69,000 kilograms of CO2 annually compared to a conventional diesel truck. Additionally, we will gain valuable experience and insights to expand CO2-neutral transport to other product lines,” said Christoph Laumen, Managing Director of Nippon Gases Germany.

The HOYER Group, a leader in hydrogen logistics, actively supports the ramp-up of hydrogen mobility, including supplying hydrogen refueling stations. For Nippon Gases, HOYER handles industrial gases and dry ice transport. The deployment of the hydrogen vehicle not only reduces CO2 emissions but also provides early operational learnings for the international logistics company to scale its hydrogen fleet.

“The new vehicle has a range of up to 450 kilometers and can be fully refueled in less than 15 minutes. These features make it ideal for the daily transport of dry ice, which is essential in industries such as food and pharmaceuticals,” said Axel Remplewski, Executive Director of Global Gas Logistics at HOYER Group.

“As an internationally active family business, the HOYER Group takes its responsibility for current and future generations seriously. Together with our customers, we aim to shape logistics sustainably, thinking and acting across generations. Sustainable social, ecological, and economic actions are integral to HOYER’s practice,” said Björn Schniederkötter, Chief Executive Officer of HOYER Group.

The new hydrogen vehicle incorporates cutting-edge technology to enable emissions-free and efficient transport. The truck, a Hyundai “XCIENT Fuel Cell,” was equipped by hylane with a dry container and air ducts to meet Nippon Gases and the HOYER Group's specific requirements for dry ice transport.

“We are delighted that Nippon Gases, in collaboration with the HOYER Group, is the first industrial gases company to use one of our hydrogen trucks for dry ice logistics. This highlights the versatility of our vehicles and demonstrates that hydrogen trucks are a practical and sustainable alternative to diesel vehicles,” said Sara Schiffer, Managing Director of hylane GmbH.