Sisu Auto to pilot hydrogen-electric hybrid truck in Finnish transport operations
A hydrogen-electric hybrid truck built by Sisu Auto will enter regular transport operations in late 2026 as part of the European ESCALATE project. The pilot will gather practical data on the performance, energy efficiency and reliability of alternative powertrains in demanding Nordic conditions.
The heavy-duty truck combines a battery-electric powertrain with hydrogen fuel cell technology. It will carry out real transport assignments, with its performance monitored continuously to assess how electricity and hydrogen complement each other in long-haul transport.
“The aim of the pilot is to increase our understanding of which technologies and solutions are best suited to the future needs of heavy transport. Practical testing in real operating conditions will provide us with valuable information about vehicle energy management, operational reliability and overall system performance,” says Petri Kananen, Development Director at Sisu Auto.
Testing in Finnish winter conditions
The truck will operate with a semi-trailer on services connecting the Port of Vuosaari, Jyväskylä and the Helsinki metropolitan area. Data will be collected on energy consumption, operating range, charging and hydrogen refuelling, and the effects of weather on vehicle performance.
The large and heavy vehicle combinations used in the Nordic countries, together with winter conditions, place demanding requirements on both vehicles and their energy supply infrastructure.
“Sisu Auto has nearly a century of experience in vehicles designed for demanding operating conditions. It is therefore natural for us to participate in development work that examines the suitability of future powertrains precisely in conditions where performance and reliability cannot be compromised,” Kananen says.
Finnish partners contribute specialist expertise
Sisu Auto is responsible for developing the heavy-duty vehicle platform and integrating the overall system. Other Finnish partners involved in the project include VTT, IONCOR, Kempower, Hevtec, O. Jylhä and Rauanheimo.
Alongside vehicle performance, the pilot will assess the charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure needed to support future heavy-duty transport.
One of four European demonstration vehicles
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, ESCALATE aims to develop and demonstrate next-generation zero-emission powertrain solutions for heavy-duty vehicles.
The SISU truck is one of four European demonstration vehicles in the project and will operate in some of its most demanding conditions. The findings will help assess the suitability of different energy solutions and support the development of low-emission heavy-duty transport in Europe.
