Hi, I’m Waheed, a UK-based serial entrepreneur with a passion for system optimisation. I founded HVS to design and build zero emission hydrogen-electric trucks.
What we do:
FUEL CELL TRUCK PRODUCTION:
We are ready to manufacture HVS hydrogen trucks, but our programme is on hold until we secure the €400M required for low-volume production, FUEL SAVING TECHNOLOGY LICENCING:
We're offering our patented AI-SEMAS fuel-saving software to diesel truck OEMs for direct ECU-level installation to save up to €5,500 in diesel per truck each year, HYDROGEN TRUCK ENGINEERING SUPPORT:
We are partnering with OEMs lagging in hydrogen truck development, providing design expertise to accelerate both hydrogen combustion and fuel cell truck programmes
RESOURCES: Four full-scale hydrogen fuel cell trucks available for trials and demonstrations. New fuel cells also available.
Full Company Description
HVS is the hydrogen propulsion specialist transforming the trucking industry with fuel cell technology. In addition, the company has developed a ground-breaking fuel-saving technology – the first weight-to-terrain vehicle control system – applicable to diesel, electric, and hydrogen trucks.
Recognised in April 2025 by PwC as a Future 50 Net Zero Company and awarded Greenly Gold status for its carbon accounting and sustainability leadership – HVS was founded in 2017 to decarbonise the heavy-duty trucking sector. It began with the ground-up development of a 40-tonne hydrogen fuel-cell truck and an AI-powered vehicle control platform – AI-SEMAS™ (Artificial Intelligence Systems Engineering Modelling, Analysis & Simulation) – which has now been adapted to retrofit existing diesel trucks, delivering immediate, high-impact emissions reductions without replacing fleets.
AI-SEMAS – branded for customers as LoadLogic – is an intelligent plug-in energy management system that pre-emptively optimises throttle, braking, and weight-to-terrain power delivery in real time. By eliminating driver variability and intelligently distributing energy demand, it improves fuel efficiency across long-haul operations.
In hydrogen fuel cell trucks, AI-SEMAS delivers up to 14% energy savings. In battery-electric trucks, it achieves around 10%, while diesel trucks benefit from a 5% reduction in fuel consumption. For a typical long-haul diesel tractor trailer truck covering 193,000 km per year, at 8 mpg, this equates to savings of up to €5,500 in diesel costs and 9 tonnes of CO₂ emissions avoided annually – delivering immediate, measurable value at fleet scale.
AI-SEMAS has progressed through simulation and IP development, with core patents filed in the US and granted in the UK via the Green Channel in 2024. It has received €1.5M of direct R&D investment within a €60M vehicle programme supported by the UK Government’s Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) and has reached Technology Readiness Level 3. It is now undergoing road testing and independent TÜV SÜD certification for diesel trucks, paving the way for its deployment with established trucking OEMs.
HVS has also developed the Transition to Zero (TTZ) Platform – Digital Fleet Planning Tool
TTZ is purpose-built for heavy-duty truck operators, helping them plan and manage their shift to low- and zero-emission vehicles. Launching as a publicly accessible website for UK and European users, it will provide real-time tools for fleet transition planning. Serving as a digital hub, TTZ will bring together fleet decarbonisation, infrastructure mapping, and funding access across Europe.
Using AI and GIS mapping, it recommends the optimal vehicle types and powertrain (battery, hydrogen, ethanol, CNG) by factoring in available infrastructure (refuelling and charging) and real-world route, duty cycle, and payload data. In simple terms, it builds your ideal fleet around the available technology and refuelling or charging infrastructure.
It also integrates EU and UK grant opportunities, tax incentives, OEM demo bookings, and demand aggregation to streamline fleet transition planning. For governments and cities, TTZ provides live insights into fleet decarbonisation progress, infrastructure demand, and the effectiveness of policy measures.
I grew up in the 1980s, inspired by the wave of innovation around me – from the Cassette Walkman to personal computers. My fascination with hydrogen began when I realised its potential went far beyond water, sparking a passion that drove me to spend years researching its applications. In 2016, two events crystallised my resolve: the European Trucking Cartel scandal, in which the EU imposed a record €2.93 billion fine for price fixing and delaying emissions-reduction technology, and the Paris Agreement, which set global commitments to combat climate change.
In 2017, I shared my vision with propulsion engineer Emil Rangelov, and together we founded Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS) – a designer and manufacturer of hydrogen-electric vehicles for the commercial vehicle market. By 2020, we had evolved HVS into a systems integration company with a market-first plan. As Chief Innovation Officer, I developed our Intellectual Property Strategy, leading to our flagship AI-SEMAS® hydrogen fuel-saving technology, which reduces fleet operating costs and makes our vehicles more affordable than competitors. By 2024, we had raised €60M, built four full-scale hydrogen fuel cell trucks, and secured strategic partnerships – including with Euro Garages, which operates over 4,000 filling stations across the UK and Europe – further strengthening our market presence. 2024 also marked a turning point in the market, as several EV and hydrogen truck startups – including Arrival, Tevva, Hyzon, Quantron, and Nikola – collapsed. With our own cash runway ending and unable to secure the €400M needed for vehicle production, we restructured the company and shifted focus to licensing our proprietary technology as a faster route to revenue generation.
Alongside HVS, I have founded several other startups:
Property Safety – an AI-powered compliance platform that ensures homes meet all six UK legal safety standards while reducing certification costs.
On Time Healthcare – a digital healthcare solution that helps hospitals deliver timely, consistent care through real-time prompts and workflow optimisation.
Dash Hub – a software reseller specialising in AI-driven business tools that automate workflows and improve efficiency.
In 2023, I was honoured to be selected as an Unreasonable Fellow and took part in Unreasonable Impact UK & Europe, joining a network of entrepreneurs tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
My organisation
HVS (Hydrogen Vehicle Systems)
Social media
Additional questions
I am interested in the following CETPartnership thematic areas:
develop the optimised, integrated European net-zero emissions energy systemdevelop a pool of zero-emission power technologies and solutions based on Renewable Energy Sourcesprovide technological cleaner solutions for hydrogen and renewable fuelsdevelop and validate integrated regional and local energy systems, NoREST initiativedevelop and demonstrate technical solutions for integrated industrial energy systemsprovide solutions and technologies for buildings to become an active element in the energy system