The global economy is at a historic turning point in 2026. The forced shift away from fossil fuels is catapulting green technologies into a new dimension. Driven by regulatory hammer blows from Brussels and exploding investments worth billions, the decarbonization of heavy-duty transport and the hype surrounding hydrogen are colliding to create a perfect storm for investors. While battery-electric trucks are already conquering short distances, a race between systems is emerging in long-distance transport, in which only the technology with the best infrastructure can win. The following article highlights how Plug Power, Pure One, and Daimler Truck are shaping this battle for supremacy.
This article is disseminated in partnership with Apaton Finance GmbH. It is intended to inform investors and should not be taken as a recommendation or financial advice.
Plug Power – Between European successes and financial turmoil
The past few weeks have been quite tense at Plug Power. The management team, led by outgoing CEO Andy Marsh, fought until the very end to get shareholder approval to double the authorized shares to 3 billion. After a postponed meeting and an unusual Q&A session on Reddit, the shareholders finally gave the green light. The decision is a classic conflict of objectives. While it prevents a feared reverse stock split, it significantly dilutes the shares of existing investors. For the company, however, the green light means breathing room to obtain urgently needed liquidity.
While the financing issue preoccupied the home front, operations in Europe were running at full speed. In Rotterdam, Plug Power completed the first filling of a 32 km hydrogen pipeline. The project demonstrates that the group can handle complex infrastructure on an industrial scale. At the same time, work was completed in Portugal on a 100 MW electrolyser plant that is expected to produce up to 15,000 tons of green hydrogen annually. These successes underscore the strategy of building a fully integrated ecosystem and positioning the company as a systemically important supplier in Europe.
Looking ahead, investors remain hopeful yet apprehensive. In March, Jose Luis Crespo, an experienced executive who was instrumental in driving the company’s expansion in Europe, will take the helm. At the same time, however, the company is facing several class action lawsuits, which are causing additional uncertainty. The coming months will show whether Plug Power can master the balancing act between securing liquidity and operational growth. If the turnaround succeeds, the risk could pay off for patient investors. Failure to stabilize liquidity could significantly impair its capital market positioning. The stock is currently trading at USD 1.89.
Pure One – Realignment in a tense energy market
Pure Hydrogen has become Pure One (PINL:PHCLF). The name change says it all. The Australian company has strategically repositioned itself and is now pursuing a broader approach to clean energy solutions. In addition to hydrogen powertrains, the portfolio includes battery electric vehicles, replaceable batteries, and refueling infrastructure. The logic behind this is that it allows the company to offer customers tailor-made solutions for emission-free mobility without having to commit to a particular technology at an early stage. Twelve employees manage this business, which is expected to generate AUD 42 million in revenue this year. That is a significant jump.
The real highlight, however, is in the balance sheet. Through its subsidiary Eastern Gas, Pure One holds promising production rights in the Cooper Basin, Australia’s most productive onshore area. The Windorah project has resources similar to those of successful competitors, but the market has ignored them until now. That is about to change. Eastern Gas is going public, and Pure One shareholders will receive shares. Demand was already so strong that the IPO was significantly oversubscribed. This is a clever move because, as a standalone gas asset, it can be valued completely differently than in the shadow of the core business.
The timing could hardly be better. Australia’s east coast is heading for a structural gas gap that could become acute as early as 2028. Production from old fields is declining faster than expected, and the coal phase-out is driving demand for flexible gas-fired power plants. Gas is thus evolving from a transitional fuel to a strategic asset for grid stability. While competitors with similar resources have long since reached valuations in the hundreds of millions, Pure One is trading at the equivalent of around EUR 16.7 million (AUD 28 million). Anyone who gets in here will get the operating business for virtually nothing. This classic valuation gap is likely to be closed by the spin-off. The stock is currently trading at AUD 0.073.
Daimler Truck – Reorganizing
The separation from its former parent company is becoming more concrete. Mercedes-Benz announced that it will sell part of its remaining shares in Daimler Truck before the end of this year. The package, which is held directly through a pension fund, is worth around EUR 12 billion. For Daimler Truck, the move means greater independence and a return to the free capital market. The psychological impact should not be underestimated. Four and a half years after the spin-off, the last financial ties to the Stuttgart-based luxury division are being severed. Analysts see this as an opportunity, even if the additional supply is likely to put pressure on the share price in the short term.
Parallel to the realignment of its shareholder structure, the group is getting serious about technology. The eActros 600 is set to run emission-free in daily port and branch traffic for major customers such as IKEA starting in the fall. The electric offensive is complemented by the slimmer eActros 400, which, with its LFP battery and 480 km range, is aimed primarily at price-sensitive customers. At the same time, Daimler Truck is pushing ahead with its hydrogen strategy. The NextGenH2 truck with liquid hydrogen tanks is set to be tested by its first customers at the end of the year. With a range of 1,000 km and short refueling stops, it is aimed at extreme long-distance travel, clearly differentiating itself within the company’s own portfolio.
The environment remains challenging. Sales in North America suffered from difficult market conditions in 2025, while Mercedes-Benz Trucks and the Asian business remained stable. Deliveries of battery-electric vehicles rose by two-thirds. This record shows that demand is slowly picking up. Analysts remain divided. While Bernstein emphasizes the threat posed by new competitors such as Tesla, JPMorgan and RBC see catch-up potential due to the aging fleet in Europe and the new toll. The key questions for investors will be answered on March 12, when the company presents its annual figures and presents its outlook for 2026. The share price is currently trading at EUR 42.27.
Plug Power is achieving operational success in Europe, but is struggling on the home front with liquidity pressure and lawsuits. Pure One is leveraging the strategic unbundling of its gas production rights to close a glaring valuation gap. Daimler Truck is gaining ground with its final step toward independence and is pursuing a clear dual-track strategy combining battery and hydrogen technologies. The billion-dollar market for zero-emission mobility remains a race between systems. Who wins here will be decided less in laboratories than on the capital markets and in infrastructure development.
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