On August 5, 2026, the first call for funding under the Bavarian funding program for hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles (BayH2N) was launched. Up to €15 million is available for this first call – part of a total program worth €35 million, with which the Free State of Bavaria is driving the market ramp-up of hydrogen mobility in the commercial vehicle sector until 2028.
Funding is provided for the purchase and leasing of fuel cell and hydrogen combustion vehicles in EC vehicle classes N1 to N3, covering up to 80% of the eligible additional investment costs compared to a comparable diesel vehicle. For vehicle class N3 (heavy-duty trucks), maximum funding amounts of up to €300,000 per fuel cell vehicle and up to €180,000 per hydrogen combustion vehicle are provided. The call for funding has been open since August 5, 2026, at 12:00 PM, for twelve weeks; applications can be submitted to the project management agency Bayern Innovativ GmbH until October 28, 2026, at 12:00 PM.
Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy, Hubert Aiwanger, justified the step by citing the high demand already shown by a parallel federal call for funding for hydrogen commercial vehicles. With the Bavarian program, companies receive additional planning certainty and further investment incentives for switching to climate-friendly yet powerful commercial vehicles.
At the start of the call for funding, the underlying funding guideline was also made more practical: the deadline for vehicle acquisition after approval was extended from twelve to 18 months, and the previous minimum mileage of 20,000 kilometers per year has been completely eliminated. The commitment period and the disbursement procedure for leasing were also clarified.
H2HUB Initiative supports with applications
As part of the H2HUB initiative, we support interested freight forwarders, companies, and regional hydrogen projects in Bavaria in preparing their BayH2N funding applications – from assessing eligibility to compiling the necessary documents. The program specifically complements existing funding programs for hydrogen refueling stations and electrolyzers, thereby creating the demand side that is crucial for the economic operation of our infrastructure projects in Bavaria.
On August 11, the project management agency Bayern Innovativ will provide detailed information about the application process in a webinar (11:00 AM – 12:00 PM). Companies planning to apply for funding can contact the H2HUB initiative directly at any time with questions.
Contact
H2HUB Initiative
c/o Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik GmbH
Daimlerstraße 15, 85521 Ottobrunn
kontakt@h2hub-initiative.de
+49 (89) 608 110 25