Volvo has started on-road testing of heavy trucks that run on hydrogen combustion engines, with a commercial launch planned before 2030.
The Swedish truck maker’s hydrogen-powered vehicles are designed to offer improved energy efficiency, lower fuel consumption, and higher engine power compared to older hydrogen combustion technology.
That performance edge comes from High Pressure Direct Injection, or HPDI, a system where a small amount of ignition fuel is injected under high pressure to create compression ignition before hydrogen is added. Volvo already uses this technology in its gas-powered trucks, with more than ten thousand units sold around the world.
Jan Hjelmgren, who heads product management at Volvo Trucks, says on-road testing marks an important milestone. He adds that he is confident the trucks will measure up well against the competition when it comes to fuel efficiency, power, torque, and drivability.
Customers, he says, will be able to operate them much like diesel trucks. He points to Volvo’s experience with HPDI in thousands of gas-powered trucks as strong proof of the technology’s reliability.
These hydrogen combustion engine trucks are expected to be particularly useful for long-distance haulage and in areas where charging infrastructure is limited or where recharging battery electric trucks takes too long.
When using green hydrogen and renewable HVO as the ignition fuel, the trucks can deliver net zero CO2 emissions from well to wheel. Under agreed European Union CO2 standards, they are classified as zero emission vehicles.
Volvo’s hydrogen engine technology is based on its diesel powertrain, meaning drivers get diesel-like performance with much lower CO2 emissions. The hydrogen combustion trucks will sit alongside the company’s battery electric trucks, fuel cell electric trucks, and models running on biogas or HVO.
According to Hjelmgren, there is real potential for hydrogen combustion engine trucks to play a role in the shift to zero tailpipe emission transport. He notes that several technologies will be needed to cut carbon emissions, and as a global truck manufacturer, Volvo aims to offer a range of decarbonisation options while helping customers choose the best fit for their transport needs, available infrastructure, and green energy prices.
The hydrogen-powered Volvo trucks use HPDI technology from Cespira and offer an operational range that exceeds many customers’ daily driving distances. Because of their low CO2 emissions, they are recognised as zero emission vehicles under EU rules.
By way of comparison, hydrogen can also power fuel cell electric trucks, which produce only water vapour from the tailpipe. Volvo plans to launch those in low volumes before 2030 as part of a three path strategy to reach net zero emissions: battery electric, fuel cell electric, and combustion engines running on renewable fuels.
https://bit.ly/41HEBAO
No comments:
Post a Comment