Thanks to the joint efforts of FEV, SISU, VTT and POLIS Network, ESCALATE was able to showcase SISU’s Finnish pilot truck at European Hydrogen Week 2026, which took place from 26 to 28 October in Brussels, Belgium. The SISU truck, which will soon operate on its daily route between Helsinki and Jyväskylä, was displayed prominently at the entrance of the exhibition space.
The strong collaboration between the technical experts and pilot leaders of SISU, the administrative and project coordinators of FEV, and the ESCALATE dissemination manager of POLIS Network allowed ESCALATE to engage with several hundred stakeholders at the ESCALATE and FEV stands, including groups from South America and Germany.
What are the specificities of the SISU truck?
The pilot leader made significant efforts to show and explain the challenges being overcome with the SISU truck, which include a trip of around 550 km without refuelling or recharging. The vehicle has a battery capacity of 650 kWh, which can be charged using both CCS and MCS charging. Additionally, the vehicle has a hydrogen fuel cell, provided by Ballard, connected to a 700 bar system of four tanks, which can hold up to 58 kg of gaseous hydrogen.
The unique selling point of the vehicle is its towing capacity, which allows a combined weight of up to 72 tonnes, even in the harsh environment of the Finnish winter. These winter trips will start once the truck returns to Helsinki from Brussels and are planned to continue until the end of the ESCALATE project in March 2027. Many stakeholders who engaged with ESCALATE said: “If such a truck can operate in the harsh Finnish winter, it should be capable of operating everywhere.”
What did ESCALATE highlight as part of the project presentations?
Our project coordinator, Servais Ouenou Gamo (FEV France), gave an overview as part of the EU Projects session “Mobility, components and ports”, during which he shared the stage with our AEVETO partner project of H2Haul, which tested hydrogen trucks and refuelling infrastructure under real-world conditions in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
ESCALATE highlighted its holistic approach to the development of long-haul zero-emission vehicles, which includes various pilot test routes across Europe, while focusing on the exhibited SISU truck.
The innovative measures of the ESCALATE project include the development of digital twins, AI solutions, modular and standardised e-powertrain components, dedicated thermal management solutions and megawatt charging modules.
Beyond these digital and technical solutions, data analysis is also a key research focus. It will feed into total cost of ownership calculations, helping potential customers, such as freight companies, to decide whether switching to zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles is a viable business model.
How can I learn more?
The ESCALATE consortium invites you to attend its final conference on 18 March 2027 at the Royal Academy (KVAB) in Brussels, Belgium, which will include pilot results as well as displays of several of the pilot trucks.