Imagine a carbon-neutral world where vehicles run on renewable energy and emit water vapor. Well, it won’t remain a dream for too long, as Volvo is working towards making this a reality by the end of the decade — with the Volvo zero-emission truck.
Volvo’s commitment to net zero is seen in the range of vehicles it offers. Volvo trucks today offer battery electric options and trucks that run on renewable fuels. Recently, the Swedish automaker made news for coming up with the Volvo zero-emission truck, powered by hydrogen, yet another alternative to fossil fuel-based engines.
In early 2022, Volvo signed the Drive to Zero pledge, reiterating its commitment to provide zero-emission commercial vehicles. Volvo is one of the largest manufacturers of cars, trucks, buses, and construction equipment. The group hopes to have a completely fossil fuel-free fleet of vehicles by 2040. Heléne Mellquist, President of Volvo Penta mentioned, “Our ambition is to reach zero emissions through fossil-free and renewable fuels, and electric and hybrid technology.”
Volvo Hydrogen Trucks
The company revealed that by 2030, it will add fuel cell electric trucks powered by hydrogen to its carbon-neutral portfolio. Hydrogen Volvo trucks mean that the vehicles will only emit water vapor.
“We have been developing this technology for some years now, and it feels great to see the first trucks successfully running on the test track. The combination of battery electric and fuel cell electric will enable our customers to completely eliminate CO2 exhaust emissions from their trucks, no matter transport assignments,” says Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks.
The fuel cell electric trucks will have an operational range of 1,000 km, which puts it on par with many of the diesel models available in the market, and have a refueling time of less than 15 minutes. The automaker expects the Volvo zero-emission truck to weigh around 65 tons or higher, and its two fuel cells will have the capacity to generate 300 kW of electricity onboard.
Alm added, “Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric trucks will be especially suitable for long distances and heavy, energy-demanding assignments. They could also be an option in countries where battery charging possibilities are limited.”
As the trucks will be hydrogen-powered, it will generate its own electricity without relying on an external source and the only byproduct will be water vapor. The fuel cells for the Volvo zero emission trucks will be produced through a joint venture between Volvo Group and Daimler Truck AG. While fuel cell technology is still at a nascent stage, there are many challenges involved in making it commercially viable. One of the biggest is the large-scale availability of green hydrogen. Furthermore, Volvo already offers trucks running on biogas.
Green Hydrogen and Net Zero Future
Green hydrogen is made by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity. Alm believes that supply of green hydrogen will increase significantly in the coming years, as automakers make the change to hydrogen to reduce CO2. Governments and industries are slowly realizing the potential of green hydrogen as we move towards a net-zero economy, away from fossil fuel-based ventures.
In recent times, industries have started investing heavily into multibillion dollar developments focused on green hydrogen. BP Plc recently took the lead in a $36 billion renewable energy hub which could produce about 1.6 million tons of green hydrogen each year once it becomes operational. French multinational Total Energies SE partnered with Indian entrepreneur Gautam Adani’s conglomerate to invest as much as $50 million in the coming 10 years to produce green hydrogen. Meanwhile, US giant Chevron Corp. has its own plans to develop hydrogen projects in the near future.
Alm exhorted automakers to change track to carbon-neutral technologies like battery electric, biogas, and the other options available in the industry. He said, “the fuel cell trucks will then be an important complement for longer and heavier transports in a few years from now.”
