The Liebherr GmbH plant in Bischofshofen, Germany provided a backdrop for the earthmoving and concrete equipment manufacturer to unveil the world’s first large wheel loader running a hydrogen engine. With government agency and industry representatives on hand, the early-summer event included a series of talks on alternative drives ahead of the Prototype L 566 H demonstration.
In tandem with the plant gathering, Liebherr Bischofshofen inaugurated the first hydrogen fueling station in the German state of Salzburg, representing a milestone in the use of the gas as a sustainable energy source. “To make progress in hydrogen research, we need to have access to the fuel. We built this filling station to further advance our goals for decarbonizing construction machinery,” said Chief Technical Officer Dr.-Ing. Herbert Pfab.


A hydrogen fuel-powered MAN truck assisted in the L 566 H demonstration.
The company opened the facility in partnership with fueling infrastructure provider Maximator Hydrogen. Together, they are working on mobile filling stations so that machinery can be refueled at construction sites. A third Salzburg station partner is MPREIS, whose hydrogen fuel processing taps renewable energy sources.
HYDROGEN OR ELECTRIC?
Following extensive studies, the underlying L 566 H technology was identified as the optimal solution for operating large vehicles that are difficult to electrify without carbon dioxide emissions. While battery-electric often suits machines up to about 15 tons, Liebherr Bischofshofen engineers note, larger machines with an operating weight of up to 40 tons and high energy requirements warrant power found with hydrogen reciprocating piston engines.
Engines for L 566 H and forthcoming hydrogen fueled machines are manufactured at the Liebherr Components plant in Switzerland. Highly efficient, they are poised to operate with near zero greenhouse gas and almost no nitrogen oxide emissions in the future. Hydrogen engine interfaces are comparable to those of diesel models—thermally and mechanically.
