GWM refuels its first hydrogen truck in Bahia and opens sales in Brazil

In Camaçari, in the Brazilian state of Bahia, GWM's first hydrogen truck has been refuelled with locally produced green hydrogen. For the Chinese manufacturer it marks the start of commercial sales in Brazil — the only country outside China where GWM Hydrogen operates.

The ambitions are concrete. For 2026 the company is aiming at around R$20 million in revenue from hydrogen trucks and related solutions, roughly 3 million euros. For 2027 the figure is R$200 million, about 32 million euros. Talks are under way with seven Brazilian companies and technology centres, plus one customer elsewhere in South America.

What the truck can do

The tractor unit was developed by FTXT, GWM's fuel cell subsidiary. The drive system delivers 400 kW — 544 hp — and 2,300 newton metres of torque. A 105 kWh battery pack absorbs peaks and recovers braking energy.

The hydrogen sits in carbon fibre cylinders holding 40 kilograms at 350 bar, giving the truck a range of around 500 kilometres. Gross vehicle weight is 49 tonnes, while the empty weight comes in at 10.8 tonnes — according to GWM some 500 kilos less than comparable trucks from competitors. In road haulage that shows up directly in payload: every kilo the truck does not weigh itself can travel as cargo.

At the site in Bahia the vehicle has already covered more than 500 kilometres on green hydrogen. Within two months that should pass the 1,000 kilometre mark.

The refuelling point in Camaçari

Refuelling took place at the Centro de Referência em Tecnologias de Baixo Carbono e Hidrogênio Verde, a centre for low-carbon technology and green hydrogen opened in June at Senai Cimatec Park in Camaçari. It is a joint effort by research institute Senai Cimatec, hydrogen technology firm Hytron and Petrogal Brasil.

The centre is more than a filling point: it produces hydrogen through water electrolysis, has its own renewable generation, refuelling infrastructure and research laboratories. The hydrogen the GWM truck took on board was made on site.

Converting rather than replacing

Alongside selling new trucks, GWM Hydrogen is pushing retrofitting: converting existing diesel trucks to fuel cell drive, keeping the chassis and body and replacing only the powertrain. The company calls it the cheapest route to decarbonisation.

That approach has a further practical benefit. Hauliers converting their own fleet can pair it with a refuelling point on their own premises — useful in a country where the public hydrogen network barely exists yet.

Why Brazil

GWM choosing Brazil as its first market outside China fits a wider picture. Brazil already generates most of its electricity from hydro, wind and solar, which makes green hydrogen relatively cheap there. The country wants to be the world's most competitive producer of low-carbon hydrogen by 2030.

The policy framework is in place. The national hydrogen programme PNH2 has been running since 2022. Law 14,948 of 2024 defined what counts as low-carbon hydrogen, and law 14,990 established the PHBC development programme, with tax credits for domestic production between 2028 and 2032 and a tender scheduled for January 2027. At the end of 2024, twelve hub projects were selected for further development.

For comparison: in China more than two thousand GWM hydrogen trucks are already in commercial service. The Brazilian step is small in volume, but it is the first time that fleet has set foot outside China.

In brief

• First refuelling of a GWM hydrogen truck with green hydrogen in Camaçari, Bahia (July 2026)
• Location: Centro de Referência em Tecnologias de Baixo Carbono e Hidrogênio Verde, Senai Cimatec Park — a joint effort by Senai Cimatec, Hytron and Petrogal Brasil, opened in June 2026
• Truck: FTXT drive system, 400 kW (544 hp), 2,300 Nm, 105 kWh battery
• Hydrogen: 40 kg in carbon fibre cylinders at 350 bar, range around 500 km
• Weight: 10.8 tonnes empty, 49 tonnes gross vehicle weight
• Test mileage: over 500 km covered, more than 1,000 km expected within two months
• Revenue target: R$20 million in 2026 (roughly 3 million euros), R$200 million in 2027
• Negotiations with seven Brazilian parties and one customer elsewhere in South America
• Second track: retrofitting existing diesel trucks to fuel cell, keeping chassis and body

Sources

• H2 Invest / Hydrogen Central – GWM projects R$20 million in sales of hydrogen-powered trucks in Brazil in 2026 after the first refueling at a new hub in Bahia (July 2026)
• GWM Motors Brasil – press release: GWM projeta R$ 20 milhões em vendas de caminhões a hidrogênio no Brasil em 2026
• Canal Diesel – GWM projeta expansão no transporte pesado com caminhões a hidrogênio e retrofit de frotas
• Fuel Cells Works – GWM hydrogen trucks: R$ 20M sales target in Brazil 2026
• CSIRO HyResource – Brazil hydrogen policy: PNH2, Law 14,948/2024 and the PHBC programme