ESPOO, Finland, October 21, 2026 — Finland will launch a pilot project in late 2026 to test a hydrogen-electric hybrid truck designed to reduce emissions from long-haul heavy-duty transport.
Led by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the EU-funded ESCALATE project features the SISU Escalate truck, which primarily uses battery power, with hydrogen fuel cells providing supplementary power for extended journeys.
Equipped with a 650-kilowatt-hour battery and a fuel cell rated at up to 120 kilowatts, the truck will operate between Vuosaari Harbour in southern Finland and Jyväskylä in central Finland. Jylhä Logistics will operate the vehicle, with daily journeys covering approximately 540 kilometres.
Researchers will monitor energy consumption, reliability and performance under different weather conditions, including Finland’s harsh winter. The data will help optimise energy management, charging infrastructure and operating costs, with performance compared against diesel-powered trucks.
The project brings together Finnish companies and research organisations, including Sisu Auto, IONCOR, Kempower and Hevtec. It will also examine the suitability of zero-emission technology for heavy articulated vehicles operating in Nordic countries.
The pilot aims to demonstrate the feasibility of battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell technologies for demanding freight operations and support the development of commercially viable, zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles.
