KEYOU develops Hydrogen-Powered Dump Truck for Global Construction Equipment Leader Komatsu

KEYOU develops Hydrogen-Powered Dump Truck for Global Construction Equipment Leader Komatsu

Munich-based hydrogen expert KEYOU and Japanese construction and mining equipment manufacturer Komatsu have jointly developed the world’s first 12-cylinder hydrogen engine for a large dump truck. The proof-of-concept tests, currently being conducted at Komatsu’s Ibaraki plant, will lay the foundation for the future development of hydrogen-powered construction and mining equipment.

As a technology leader in hydrogen combustion engines, KEYOU continues to implement a number of development projects for selected OEMs, supporting major manufacturers make their combustion engines “H2-ready” – for both on-road and off-road applications. The KEYOU-inside technology is also used in the company’s own fleet of hydrogen-powered trucks, which are offered to transportation and logistics companies through an “H2 Mobility as a Service” model. The market launch of KEYOU’s 18-ton pioneer fleet is imminent, with the first vehicle formally handed over to its pioneering customer, EP Trans from Regensburg, Germany, at the end of last year. With its in-depth technological expertise, the Munich-based high-tech company sets itself apart from other hydrogen mobility providers, many of which only buy and rent out vehicles.

KEYOU and Komatsu – A Partnership since2023

The close cooperation between the two companies was initiated by the World Hydrogen Technologies Conference in Tokyo in 2019, where KEYOU was the only company to present on the opportunities and potential of hydrogen combustion engines – and caught Komatsu’s attention. The kick-off for the now-public dump truck project followed in April 2023, and the first major milestone – the First Firing of the engine – was achieved almost a year later at KEYOU’s partner KST in Bad Dürkheim, Germany. In January 2025, the First Firing of the vehicle marked the start of the proof-of-concept tests at Komatsu’s Ibaraki plant, which will pave the way for the development of further hydrogen-powered construction and mining machines. Komatsu has set ambitious climate targets: to reduce CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2030 (compared to 2010 levels) and to achieve full climate neutrality by 2050.

A major steptoward carbon neutrality in the construction and mining equipment sector

Taisuke Kusaba, Senior Executive Officer (Jomu), Chief Technology Officer (CTO), President of Development Division at Komatsu, says:

We are very excited to launch this project,

“With the great cooperation of KEYOU, we are pleased to announce the start of proof-of-concept tests by equipping a large dump truck with a hydrogen combustion engine.”

Kusaba continues,

This marks a significant achievement in Komatsu’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality. Moving forward, we will continue to develop this technology as one of the key pillars of our carbon neutrality initiatives,

For KEYOU, this project marks another important milestone in the company’s 10-year history:

Markus Schneider, COO and CTO of KEYOU, explains:

Our partnership with Komatsu is currently our most important customer project in the off-road commercial vehicle sector and demonstrates the performance capabilities of KEYOU-inside technology under extreme conditions,

“We are all the more excited to finally speak publicly about our cooperation, which has always been characterized by mutual trust and a strong partnership at eye level,” concludes Schneider.

In addition to the jointly developed hydrogen engine, the dump truck is equipped with a 700 bar tank system from Argo-Anleg, mounted on a platform next to the driver’s cab to maximize storage capacity. The newly launched proof-of-concept tests will initially focus on evaluating the vehicle’s driving performance, continuous operating hours, and fuel efficiency.

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KEYOU develops Hydrogen-Powered Dump Truck for Global Construction Equipment Leader Komatsu, source

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