Start-up Hylane now rents out hydrogen trucks

The Cologne-based company is putting climate-friendly commercial vehicles on the road. Founder Sara Schiffer has already acquired high-ranking customers.

The start-up Hylane is starting to rent out hydrogen trucks. This makes the company the first rental company for climate-friendly commercial vehicles in Germany. "We are in talks with renowned transport companies that are willing to join us in the climate-neutral transportation of their goods," says founder and Managing Director Sara Schiffer. The first rental contracts have already been signed. The first customer is logistics service provider DB Schenker.

The pay-per-use model means that customers only pay for the kilometers they actually drive. All services, with the exception of fuel, are already included in the rental price. The start-up also bears the risk of technical breakdowns. Customers can choose from a range of zero-emission vehicles, with the focus on trucks with fuel cells. Vehicles from Hyzon Motors, Hyundai and Daimler Truck will be used at the start. The company also plans to rent out vans and buses at a later date.

Schiffer founded the start-up in 2021. Hylane is a subsidiary of DEVK Versicherung. The company wants to view climate-friendly mobility as a holistic system. For this reason, the start-up says it takes care of an appropriate refueling and charging infrastructure, proof of CO2 savings and possible recycling of individual vehicle parts.