VOLVO

Swedish automotive giant to start real transport operations on public roads in Europe using fuel cells

After the recent announcement of the start of internal tests with hydrogen electric trucks, Volvo Trucks is already scheduling a second phase of the pilot, in real transport operations on public roads in Europe, from 2025. The vehicles only emit water vapor. and have a range of up to 1,000 km.

Electric trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells will be especially suitable for heavy long-distance transport. They will also be an option in regions where battery recharging possibilities are limited.

“I believe the pilot tests will show the potential for electric trucks on long routes. They will be carried out in severe weather and will give us a great opportunity to drive with heavy loads, up to 65 tonnes,” says Jessica Sandström, Senior Vice President Product Management at Volvo Trucks.

The objective of the pilot tests will be to analyze all the different characteristics of the truck's operation, including, in addition to the components, aspects such as drivability and driver experience.

Fuel cells generate their own electricity from on-board hydrogen, rather than being charged from external sources. The only by-product emitted is water vapour. Volvo's electric trucks will use two fuel cells, capable of generating 300 kW of power, and will have a refueling time of less than 15 minutes.

Green hydrogen...Fuel cell technology is at an early stage of development. While there are many benefits, there are still some challenges, especially the large-scale supply of green hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro and solar. Another point to be overcome is the need for a supply infrastructure. During the pilot tests, the vehicles will be filled with green hydrogen in the garages of the selected companies.

“Our expectation is that the supply of green hydrogen will increase significantly over the next two years, as many industries will rely on it to reduce CO2. Fuel cell trucks will be important for heavy, long-distance haulage in a few years,” says Jessica.

The fuel cells will be supplied by Cellcentric - a joint venture between the Volvo Group and Daimler Truck AG. Cellcentric will build one of Europe's largest facilities for series production of fuel cells, developed especially for heavy vehicles.

Autonews