Hydrogen-powered Volvo electric trucks tested on public roads

Swedish company Volvo Trucks is testing hydrogen fuel cell trucks on public roads for the first time.

But not any public road. To make it extra challenging, the tests have been conducted above the extremely cold climate of the Arctic Circle in the north of Sweden.

The trucks are powered by hydrogen and have zero exhaust emissions, and can travel longer distances than conventional electric trucks.

Fuel cell electric trucks powered by hydrogen will be especially suitable for longer distances and when using only batteries isn’t an option, for example, in rural areas with no charging infrastructure, said Volvo Trucks. The hydrogen-powered trucks will use two fuel cells with a capacity to generate 300kW of electric power.

The major difference between battery electric and fuel cell electric trucks is that the former is charged conventionally, needing several hours to recharge at public DC chargers or smaller AC chargers.

Their hydrogen-powered cousins are charged by their fuel cells on the move, and it is much quicker to refill their hydrogen tanks than charging a battery electric truck. 

Green hydrogen is produced by using renewable energy sources, such as wind, water and sun, said Volvo, which has joined forces with Daimler to develop and produce fuel cell systems for heavy-duty vehicles. 

“We need to act now to stop global warming. 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,” said Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks.

“Trucks are operating seven days a week and in all types of weather. The harsh conditions on public roads in northern Sweden, with ice, wind and lots of snow, make an ideal testing environment,” said Helena Alsiö, VP power train product management at Volvo Trucks.

“I am pleased to say the tests are going well, confirming tests we carried out beforehand, both digitally and on our confined test track close to Gothenburg,” said Alsiö.

The fuel cell electric trucks will be available in the second half of this decade. Tests with hauliers will start a few years before the commercial launch.

Volvo Trucks South Africa says it may look at introducing them after 2025. In the meantime, the local company is busy with the homologation of its first extra-heavy battery-electric truck units. Plans are to present the first of these vehicles to a local customer, once all statutory procedures have been adhered to.

Eric Parry, Volvo Trucks South Africa’s sustainable solutions manager, recently took the Volvo FM electric truck on a 600km trip from the company’s dealer in Durban to  Johannesburg, and said it needed only one stop for charging.

“We aimed to prove that an extra-heavy electric truck like this can drive long distances. Even though we didn’t carry any payload, it gave us a good indication of what this truck is capable of,” said Parry.

“Generally, battery electric trucks are used in regional distribution, operating in and around cities, running from distribution centres to stores and so on, but with proper planning, customers will be able to do so much more.”

Volvo Trucks SA is bringing in its complete extra-heavy electric truck range, which includes FH, FM and FMX models in truck-tractor and rigid configurations. Axle combinations will also include 4x2 through to 8x4 models.