Energy company BP has formed a partnership with Daimler Trucks, which is related to the Mercedes-Benz brand, to establish a network of 25 hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK.

Daimler Trucks intends to switch its entire range for the European, Japanese and American markets to battery-powered and hydrogen-fuelled trucks by 2039, with its first hydrogen trucks coming to market in the coming years. BP will be responsible for designing, building and operating a number of fuelling stations for this new generation of trucks.

Hydrogen in itself is a carbon-free fuel and a field of interest for many oil and lubricant companies like BP, Shell, and TotalEnergies (formerly Total) as they seek to navigate the energy transition. While hydrogen production is not necessarily free from carbon emissions, BP says its stations will only supply green hydrogen, which is made by electrolysis using renewable energy.

In a statement, the Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Karin Rådström, said about the partnership:

“Especially for CO2-neutral long-haul road transportation, the hydrogen-powered fuel-cell drive will become indispensable in the future. Together with BP, we want to jointly develop and scale the required hydrogen infrastructure by putting our hydrogen-powered fuel-cell trucks into our customers’ hands and thus supporting the decarbonization of the UK freight network.”

Rådström added that political support was also important in encouraging the establishment of the necessary infrastructure for green hydrogen and for making fuel-cell trucks economically viable for Daimler’s customers.

In August, the UK government published its Hydrogen Strategy, which includes £4 billion of targeted investment in hydrogen-related projects.