A joint venture (JV) between Daimler and Volvo to develop fuel-cell trucks has been approved by the EC’s Competition Commission.
The Commission says it has concluded that the transaction does not raise any competition concerns.
The JV was announced two months ago when Mercedes-Benz brand owner Daimler Truck, IVECO, OMV, Shell and the Volvo Group said that they will work together to help create conditions for the mass-market roll-out of hydrogen trucks in Europe.
Last month it was announced that the Rheinmetall Group is to become a strategic supplier of fuel-cell components to Daimler Truck Fuel Cell.
Through its subsidiary Pierburg, Rheinmetall plans to supply hydrogen recirculation blowers with a sales volume in the “double-digit million euro range” to the Daimler Truck-Volvo Group JV.
The component’s central task is to feed the hydrogen not consumed during the reaction in the fuel cell back into the stack.
The blower increases the fuel cell’s efficiency, extends its service life, and improves cold-start behaviour.
