Volvo’s hydrogen-powered fuel cell trucks have been tested on public roads for the first time.
After showcasing the zero exhaust emissions vehicles last year, Volvo has progressed to testing their trucks on public roads in northern Sweden. According to Vice President of Powertrain Product Management at Volvo Trucks Helena Alsiö, these tests are reported to positively confirm earlier assessments carried out digitally and at their confined test tracks near Gothenburg, Sweden.
Volvo considers the realities of truck operations in the development of their new vehicles and in their testing methods. Volvo tests trucks above the Arctic Circle to account for potentially harsh weather conditions including ice, wind, and heavy snow.
Volvo’s hydrogen-powered trucks can produce 300 kilowatts of electricity on board, allowing for longer transport assignments and less reliance on charging infrastructure. This proves especially useful for transportation to remote areas, a necessity in the trucking industry. Volvo has also teamed up with Daimler to produce fuel cell systems made specifically for heavy-duty vehicles.
Volvo’s commitment to hydrogen-powered vehicles reflects trends in the commercial vehicle industry. Along with electric and biofuel, green hydrogen has also emerged as a promising, endless resource created from renewable energy sources like wind, water, and sun.
Volvo Trucks already offers zero-emission transport with its six battery electric models along with trucks that run on renewables such as biogas. Their hydrogen-powered vehicles are expected to be available in the second half of this decade after further tests with haulers.
Testing of the hydrogen-fueled trucks marks a continuation of Volvo Truck’s zero exhaust emission product portfolio and efforts towards putting more green-powered vehicles on the road.
“We need to act now in order to stop global warming,” said Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks. “Regardless of the transport assignments or where in the world our customers are operating, waiting is not an option. In a few years, our customers will be able to completely eliminate CO2 exhaust emissions from their trucks.”
