Record diesel prices, new road toll incoming — Dutch SWIM subsidy gives fleet operators €45 million reason to switch to hydrogen

The incentive to switch to hydrogen transport has never been stronger. Diesel hit an all-time high of €2.82 per litre on 8 April, driven by the Iran crisis and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. From 1 July, the Netherlands introduces a distance-based road toll that makes polluting trucks structurally more expensive. And on top of that, the Dutch government has opened €45 million in SWIM subsidies for hydrogen infrastructure and vehicles. Applications close 13 May 2026.

What is the SWIM subsidy?

The Subsidieregeling Waterstof in Mobiliteit (SWIM) — the Dutch Hydrogen Mobility Subsidy — is aimed at consortia investing in hydrogen refuelling infrastructure and vehicles. The window opened on 1 April 2026 and closes on 13 May 2026 at 17:00.

The scheme covers:

- Up to 40% of the costs for building or expanding a hydrogen refuelling station (max. €3 million per application, or €4 million for a multimodal station)

- Up to 80% of the additional costs for purchasing hydrogen vehicles or equipment compared to a fossil equivalent (max. €8 million per application)

- Up to 80% of the costs for retrofitting existing vehicles to run on hydrogen

The maximum subsidy per consortium is €12 million. Applicants must form a partnership with at least one hydrogen filling station operator.

New for 2026: mobile hydrogen storage (tube trailers) and hydrogen-powered equipment now also qualify. Zero-emission zones now count as urban nodes, broadening eligibility for operators active in or near city centres.

How does the assessment work?

SWIM operates as a tender: RVO assesses all applications after the 13 May closing date, using ranking criteria. The order of submission makes no difference — what matters is the quality of the project. Applications are ranked and receive funding in order of score until the budget is exhausted. Applications that score too low are rejected, even if budget remains available.

An application scores higher if:

- less subsidy is requested than the legal maximum percentage

- the filling station is publicly accessible and located within 10 road kilometres of an urban node

- the station demonstrably supplies only renewable hydrogen (5 bonus points)

Take the time to build a strong application — 13 May at 17:00 is the hard deadline, but quality beats speed in a tender.

Diesel as an extra argument

A litre of diesel cost €2.82 on 8 April — a record high. The Iran crisis pushed crude oil above $111 per barrel, feeding straight through to the pump. On top of the 2026 excise duty increase, a fleet operator covering 150,000 kilometres per year faces tens of thousands of euros in additional fuel costs.

Hydrogen is far less exposed to geopolitical oil shocks. It is produced locally and, increasingly, from renewable sources — making it a structurally more stable fuel cost over time.

The road toll: diesel gets structurally more expensive

From 1 July 2026, the Netherlands replaces the Eurovignette with a per-kilometre road toll covering virtually all motorways. The rate depends on emissions and vehicle weight. A Euro 6 diesel truck over 32 tonnes pays around €0.20 per kilometre. The same truck running on hydrogen or electricity pays just €0.04 per kilometre. At 100,000 kilometres per year, that is a €16,000 annual saving — purely from the choice of fuel.

Revenue from the road toll is partly recycled back into the sector, funding schemes including SWIM itself and the zero-emission truck purchase subsidy (AanZET).

EREs: green hydrogen also earns carbon credits

There is an additional financial benefit for operators who make the switch. Since 2026, the Netherlands has operated an Emission Reduction Units (ERE) system, replacing the previous HBE certificates. One ERE represents one kilogram of CO2 reduction compared to the fossil fuel baseline. Suppliers of green hydrogen to the transport sector can register and sell EREs to fossil fuel suppliers who must meet their legal obligations. This reduces the effective cost of green hydrogen further.

What do you need to do?

SWIM applications must be submitted as part of a consortium — with at least one filling station operator as a partner. Submit via RVO.nl before 13 May 2026 at 17:00. Focus on a complete, well-substantiated application: in a tender, quality wins — not speed.

Sources:

- RVO.nl SWIM (2026): https://www.rvo.nl/subsidies-financiering/waterstof-mobiliteit

- Transport Online (01-04-2026): https://www.transport-online.nl/122671/nieuwe-subsidieregeling-voor-waterstof-in-mobiliteit-swim-geopend-e45-miljoen-beschikbaar/

- Vrachtwagenheffing.nl: https://www.vrachtwagenheffing.nl

- NEa ERE: https://www.emissieautoriteit.nl/regelgeving/hernieuwbare-energie-voor-vervoer-hbe/ontwikkelingen-red3-in-nederland/emissiereductie-eenheden-ere

- UnitedConsumers diesel price (10-04-2026): https://www.unitedconsumers.com/tanken/brandstofprijzen/product/diesel