* Pilot project with participation of H2 MOBILITY, Paul Nutzfahrzeuge, Wellmeyer Fahrzeugbau and KAD Kölner Abschleppdienst
The ACV Automobil-Club Verkehr (ACV Traffic) is further expanding its commitment to sustainable mobility and will be the first German automobile club to deploy a locally emission-free tow truck in everyday operation starting in 2026. By deploying a hydrogen-powered vehicle in the Cologne area, the club aims to demonstrate the potential of emission-free drive technologies for its traditional core service of accident and breakdown assistance. The ACV thus combines its commitment to being a reliable partner in emergency situations with the goal of assuming ecological responsibility and actively promoting the decarbonization of road transport.
"In Germany, several hundred thousand towing operations take place every year - and each of them generates emissions. This creates a clear responsibility for our industry. The ACV is the first automobile club in Germany to actively promote this issue and invest in a locally emission-free towing vehicle. With this pilot project, we want to gather experience, test new approaches, and demonstrate that the future of breakdown and accident assistance can be emission-free," explains ACV Managing Director Holger Küster.
Pilot project with strong partners
The pilot project uses a PH2P truck from Paul Nutzfahrzeuge, based on a Mercedes Atego 4x2 chassis. The fuel cell truck has a permissible gross weight of 26 tons when towing a trailer, a range of approximately 450 kilometers, and is equipped with an 85-kilowatt fuel cell, a 200-kilowatt drive with 3,100 Newton meters of continuous torque, and a 133-kilowatt-hour battery. The hydrogen tank holds 30 kilograms and can be fully filled within ten to fifteen minutes.
For use as a tow truck, the vehicle is being converted at Wellmeyer Fahrzeugbau with a hydraulic sliding platform with a load capacity of four tons. Fueling is provided via the H2 MOBILITY network, which ensures fast and reliable supply around the clock in the Cologne area. The hydrogen tow truck will be deployed by ACV partner KAD Kölner Abschleppdienst, which will use it for towing operations in the Rhineland and surrounding areas.
Focus on zero emissions
By choosing hydrogen technology, ACV is deliberately opting for a solution that's particularly suitable for high mileage, but isn't ruling out other emission-free drive systems, such as battery-electric trucks, for the future. "Our tow trucks cover long distances every day, sometimes up to 400 kilometers. Given the guaranteed range of hydrogen trucks, we initially opted for this technology. However, we are closely monitoring the market and will incorporate practical experience into our future selection of suitable drive technologies," says Küster.
Falk Schulte-Wintrop, Director OEM & Business Strategy at H2 MOBILITY. : "In the event of breakdowns and accidents, ACV members expect rapid assistance. Breakdowns or waiting times due to long charging times are taboo. Maximum reliability and continuous operational readiness are essential, even for climate-friendly tow vehicles. By choosing the hydrogen truck, the ACV underscores precisely this approach. The new vehicle can refuel in the Cologne area in 10 minutes, around the clock. H2 MOBILITY filling stations thus guarantee fast, reliable vehicle refueling and broad availability throughout the Cologne area."
Bernhard Wasner, Managing Director at Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH : "The use of our Paul Hydrogen Power Truck in the ACV's towing service demonstrates that hydrogen fuel cell technology combined with proven vehicle architecture works even where maximum reliability is required. Despite the current, notoriously difficult conditions, this is a strong signal to the market and a further step toward bringing the transformation to a wider audience."
Reiner Jochmann, Technology and Sales at Willhelm Wellmeyer Fahrzeugbau GmbH : "New projects always present a special challenge. When ACV approached us with the request to install a hydraulic sliding platform with a glass-fronted platform on a hydrogen-powered truck, we didn't hesitate for long. It's a challenge we're happy to take on: to build a tow truck that is completely emission-free, can keep up with conventional diesel trucks, and can meet the tough demands of everyday business. It's a bold step for ACV to launch such a pilot project, which sets a precedent for the future."
Oliver Radhi, Operations Manager at KAD Cologne Towing Service: "As a towing service, reliability and performance are paramount for us in our daily work. With this pilot project, we want to find out whether a hydrogen tow truck meets the same requirements in daily use as a comparable diesel vehicle. The fact that the ACV is the first automobile club in Germany to have the courage to take this path deserves great respect. For us, this is more than just a test run: It is a signal to the entire industry that sustainable solutions are no longer a thing of the future, but can be implemented today."