Netherlands expands SWIM hydrogen subsidy to €12 million, opens up to logistics and private stations

Netherlands scales up hydrogen mobility support with revamped SWIM scheme

The Dutch government has significantly expanded its Subsidy Scheme for Hydrogen in Mobility (SWIM), raising the maximum grant per consortium to €12 million. Previous rounds capped combined support at €7 million.

Applications for the 2026 round are open from 1 April to 13 May 2026, administered by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

What has changed?

The updated scheme broadens both eligibility and simplicity:

- Hydrogen refuelling stations for heavy road transport receive up to 40% of eligible costs, with a cap of €3 million per application.

- Multimodal stations — also serving rail or inland shipping — qualify for up to €4 million.

- From 2026, private hydrogen stations are eligible for the first time; stations no longer need to be publicly accessible.

- The minimum daily capacity for a station has been raised to 1,000 kg of hydrogen.

- Mobile hydrogen carriers (such as tube trailers) and selected logistics equipment are now also eligible.

Vehicles and equipment

Beyond infrastructure, SWIM subsidises the purchase of hydrogen vehicles across multiple categories — from light vans (N1) to heavy trucks (N3) and buses (M2/M3). Retrofitting existing vehicles to run on hydrogen is also covered.

New to 2026 is the inclusion of specific logistics equipment not covered by other schemes.

A track record of results

SWIM is not a new experiment. The first round in 2024 supported 9 consortia, adding over 200 hydrogen vehicles and five new or expanded stations to the Dutch network. The 2025 round funded eight more consortia, procuring over 355 vehicles and delivering new stations in Meerkerk, Steenwijk, Hattemerbroek and Woerden, among others.

The 2026 budget stands at €45 million in total.

Breaking the chicken-and-egg deadlock

The scheme is deliberately structured to stimulate both supply and demand simultaneously. No trucks means no viable stations; no stations means no truck purchases. By supporting both sides of the market, the government aims to build a self-reinforcing network — working towards the EU obligation to have a hydrogen refuelling station at every urban node by 2030.

The Netherlands currently operates 23 public hydrogen refuelling stations.