Toyota joins fuel-cell joint venture cellcentric as an equal partner
Three truck giants pool their forces for hydrogen
Toyota is becoming an equal partner in cellcentric, the fuel-cell joint venture that Daimler Truck and Volvo Group founded in 2021. Through a binding agreement, Toyota takes a one-third stake, giving each of the three companies an equal share. The announcement is dated 27 July 2026.
What does cellcentric do?
Cellcentric develops and manufactures fuel-cell systems for heavy-duty applications. That goes beyond trucks alone: think also of coaches, ships, trains, stationary power generation and heavy off-highway equipment. The company has more than 560 employees across sites in Germany (Kirchheim/Teck, Esslingen and Stuttgart) and Burnaby in Canada, and holds around 700 patents.
Why together?
The three bring each other complementary expertise. Daimler Truck and Volvo Group know commercial vehicles inside out; Toyota has more than thirty years of fuel-cell experience from passenger cars. By pooling their forces they aim to reach the scale and investment power needed to make fuel cells affordable and competitive.
They are also honest about a key challenge: the refuelling network for hydrogen is still in its infancy. The partners therefore want to work with industry associations and value-chain partners to build that infrastructure. After all, vehicles alone do not yet create a market.
What do the bosses say?
Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck, speaks of a chance to 'strengthen development and further scale hydrogen technology'. Volvo Group boss Martin Lundstedt wants to 'create critical mass for hydrogen applications'. And Toyota CEO Koji Sato calls it an honour to help build 'a hydrogen society'.
What happens next?
The agreement still needs approval from the regulators. Completion is expected around the end of 2026 or early 2027. Cellcentric will continue to operate independently.
Why it matters
Three heavyweights merging their fuel-cell development is a powerful signal for hydrogen in heavy transport. We see it as good news: more scale means lower costs and faster rollout. And the honest acknowledgement that the refuelling network has to grow along with it is encouraging — because it is precisely that combination of vehicles and infrastructure that makes hydrogen truly usable on the road.
Sources
- Automotive World — Toyota joins cellcentric as equal fuel cell partner (27 July 2026)
- cellcentric / Daimler Truck / Volvo Group — press release on Toyota joining
- Toyota Motor Corporation — Global Newsroom
