Finland’s Central Finland region launches a major hydrogen transport pilot as a 68-tonne fuel cell truck enters commercial operations between Jyväskylä and Helsinki
Finland is preparing to take a significant step in heavy-duty transport as transport company A. Peltola Oy introduces a high-capacity hydrogen fuel cell truck into regular commercial operations between Jyväskylä and Helsinki around the turn of 2026–2027.
Supplied by Scania, the vehicle will operate as part of a 68-tonne High-Capacity Transport, or HCT, combination. Its deployment is expected to provide practical information about hydrogen technology under demanding Finnish conditions and long-distance commercial transport requirements.
The project is also connected to a wider heavy-duty hydrogen transport pilot coordinated by Cefmof. The initiative will collect operational data from commercial logistics, with the findings intended to support research, development and the broader adoption of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicles.
For A. Peltola Oy, the project represents an opportunity to test hydrogen technology as part of normal freight operations rather than through a limited demonstration. The company will use the truck on its established route between Jyväskylä and Helsinki.
Ari Peltola, owner of A. Peltola Oy, said the company wanted to test different powertrain technologies in practical transport operations. The hydrogen vehicle will consequently become part of the company’s regular fleet while providing experience under real operating conditions.
The addition of the hydrogen truck will also give A. Peltola Oy experience with four major heavy-duty powertrain options. Its operations will encompass diesel, biogas, battery-electric and hydrogen technologies, allowing the company to compare different solutions through practical fleet experience.
The hydrogen vehicle supplied by Scania is a fuel cell electric vehicle, or FCEV. Instead of relying exclusively on stored electrical energy, its fuel cell converts hydrogen into electricity, which is then used to power the truck’s electric propulsion system.
The truck is equipped with a substantial rechargeable battery that can also supply electrical power to the drivetrain. This combination of hydrogen fuel cell technology and battery storage is designed to support long-distance heavy-duty transport while retaining electric propulsion.
According to the specifications provided for the project, the vehicle can store 56 kilograms of hydrogen at a refuelling pressure of 700 bar. Together with its 416-kilowatt-hour propulsion battery, the system enables several hundred kilometres of driving range.
The hydrogen fuel cell itself has an output of 300 kilowatts, while the electric motor provides up to 400 kilowatts. These specifications are intended to support demanding freight applications involving substantial loads and long-distance routes across Finland.
Scania is supplying the truck through its Pilot Partner programme, which allows the manufacturer to work with customers operating fuel cell vehicles under real commercial conditions. The programme is intended to generate practical knowledge about the technology beyond controlled testing environments.
Mika Jukkara, Product Manager at Scania Suomi Oy, said Finland provides an interesting environment for testing fuel cell technology because of its long transport distances and high vehicle combination weights. The partnership with A. Peltola will provide operational information.
The vehicle’s introduction is being accompanied by a heavy-duty hydrogen transport pilot based in Jyväskylä. Cefmof will coordinate and co-finance the initiative, which is designed to collect practical information about hydrogen truck performance during commercial logistics operations.
The pilot will examine how a hydrogen-powered heavy-duty vehicle performs in Finland’s operating environment and identify applications where the technology could potentially be used. Its findings are expected to contribute to future research and development efforts.
Lauri Perämäki, Deputy Executive Director of Cefmof, said the project would provide Finland with practical experience operating a high-capacity hydrogen truck in commercial logistics for the first time, while generating information about potential future heavy-duty applications.
The project also has a regional development dimension. Jyväskylä’s participation in financing the pilot is moving through the city’s decision-making process, with the City Board scheduled to consider carbon-neutrality funding for Cefmof at its meeting on September 21.
Ari Tolonen, Deputy Mayor responsible for Business Development and Employment Services in Jyväskylä, said reducing heavy-duty transport emissions requires new solutions and practical experience demonstrating how technologies perform under real-world operating conditions.
Jyväskylä has been identified as a suitable location for the project because of its position along Finland’s major transport routes, existing hydrogen refuelling infrastructure and regional research and development activities related to emerging transport technologies.
The city is also examining its broader emissions profile as it works toward carbon neutrality. Since 2007, Jyväskylä’s total emissions have fallen by 57%, while emissions from road transport have declined by 28%, according to information provided by the city.
Despite that reduction, road transport has been decreasing more slowly than other emissions sources. If the current trend continues, transport could become Jyväskylä’s largest source of emissions by 2030, increasing interest in alternative heavy-duty technologies.
The hydrogen truck is expected to be used for commercial assignments including food transportation for major Finnish companies Kesko and Valio. This will place the vehicle within ordinary supply-chain operations rather than restricting its use to experimental transport.
Refuelling will take place at the hydrogen station in Jyväskylä operated by Cefmof Hydrogen Oy. The availability of dedicated refuelling infrastructure is an important component of the project because commercial hydrogen trucks require dependable access to fuel.
The operation between Jyväskylä and Helsinki will therefore provide an opportunity to evaluate hydrogen technology across a significant Finnish freight corridor. The combination of long-distance travel, heavy loads and regular commercial schedules could generate useful operational experience.
The 68-tonne HCT combination is particularly notable because it is expected to become Europe’s first fuel cell-powered HCT combination operating at this weight. The project consequently places Finland among the countries testing hydrogen for demanding heavy-duty transport.
The initiative forms part of a broader effort to establish the conditions needed for hydrogen-powered freight in Finland. Longer term, the participating organisations hope Jyväskylä could become the starting point for developing a national hydrogen transport corridor.
For the transport sector, the project will offer practical information about factors including vehicle performance, range, refuelling requirements and suitability for high-capacity freight operations. Such operational data can help companies understand how hydrogen fits into future fleet planning.
The introduction also highlights the different approaches being explored to reduce emissions from heavy-duty road transport. Battery-electric, biogas and hydrogen vehicles each involve different infrastructure and operational requirements, while conventional diesel remains part of many commercial fleets.
A. Peltola Oy’s decision to operate several powertrain technologies within its fleet provides an opportunity to gain first-hand experience across these alternatives. The company’s hydrogen truck will consequently be evaluated through the same commercial environment faced by other fleet vehicles.
Operations are expected to begin around the turn of 2026–2027. As the truck enters service, the associated pilot will begin gathering information that Cefmof and its partners can use to assess hydrogen’s role in Finland’s future heavy-duty transport system.
The project ultimately seeks to move hydrogen freight technology from demonstration toward practical commercial use. By combining a 68-tonne vehicle, an established logistics route, dedicated refuelling infrastructure and real customers, Finland’s pilot will provide a substantial test of hydrogen trucking.
If the project delivers the operational knowledge its organisers anticipate, the findings could help identify where hydrogen fuel cell trucks are most suitable within Finland’s transport network. The experience may also inform future infrastructure and fleet investment decisions.
With A. Peltola Oy’s hydrogen truck joining regular operations, Jyväskylä is positioning itself as an important testing location for Finland’s emerging hydrogen transport ecosystem. The project will now move from planning into commercial operation, beginning a new phase of real-world evaluation.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members