Volvo Trucks To Roll Out Hydrogen Powered Trucks By End Of Decade
Volvo Trucks is advancing its commitment to sustainable transportation by developing trucks powered by combustion engines that run on hydrogen. On-road tests for these hydrogen-powered trucks have been planned for 2026, with a commercial launch expected towards the end of this decade. This initiative to use hydrogen in place of fossil fuels represents a significant step for Volvo towards achieving its net zero goal and helping customers meet their own decarbonization targets. 
Hydrogen-powered trucks offer a promising solution for decarbonizing transport, particularly over longer distances and in areas with limited charging infrastructure for battery electric vehicles. These trucks will complement Volvo’s existing lineup, which includes battery electric trucks, fuel cell electric trucks, and vehicles powered by renewable fuels like biogas and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
The development of hydrogen combustion engine trucks by Volvo is ongoing, with current testing in both laboratory and real-world conditions. These trucks are expected to deliver performance and reliability comparable to traditional diesel trucks while achieving net zero CO2 emissions from well-to-wheel when using renewable HVO as an ignition fuel. They are classified as “Zero Emission Vehicles” (ZEV) under the new EU CO2 emission standards.
“It’s clear that several kinds of technology are needed to decarbonize heavy transport. As a global truck manufacturer, we need to support our customers by offering a variety of decarbonization solutions, and customers can choose their alternative based on transport assignment, available infrastructure and green energy prices,” said Jan Hjelmgren, Head of Product Management and Quality at Volvo Trucks.
Volvo Trucks will use High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) technology in its hydrogen combustion engines which involves injecting a small amount of ignition fuel at high pressure to enable compression ignition before adding hydrogen. Benefits of this technology include higher energy efficiency, lower fuel consumption, and increased engine power. To advance this technology, Volvo Group has entered into a joint venture with Westport Fuel Systems. This partnership, expected to be operational by the second quarter of 2024, will focus on leveraging HPDI technology.
Hydrogen-powered Volvo trucks are anticipated to have an operational range comparable to many diesel trucks, varying based on the type of transport. Their low CO2 emissions qualify them as Zero Emission Vehicles under EU standards, and they will also produce minimal nitrogen oxides and particles. Additionally, hydrogen can be used in fuel cell electric trucks, which generate electricity onboard and emit only water vapor, further showcasing the versatility of hydrogen as a clean energy source.
