Volvo says it has started testing trucks with fuel cells powered by hydrogen

Volvo Trucks stated Monday that it had begun to check autos that use “fuel cells powered by hydrogen,” with the Swedish agency claiming their vary may lengthen to as a lot as 1,000 kilometers, or a bit over 621 miles.

In an announcement, Gothenburg-headquartered Volvo Trucks stated refueling of the autos would take below quarter-hour. Customer pilots are set to start within the subsequent few years, with commercialization “deliberate for the latter a part of this decade.”

Fuel cells for the autos will probably be offered by cellcentric, a three way partnership with Daimler Truck that was established in March 2021.

“Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electrical trucks will probably be particularly appropriate for lengthy distances and heavy, energy-demanding assignments,” Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks, stated.

Alongside hydrogen fuel cell autos, Volvo Trucks — which is a part of the Volvo Group — has additionally developed battery-electric trucks.

The electrification of long-haul, heavy-duty trucks poses its personal distinctive set of challenges. The International Energy Agency’s Global EV Outlook for 2021 has described long-haul trucking as needing “superior applied sciences for top energy charging and/or giant batteries.”

Competition inside the sector has elevated lately. Volvo Trucks’ give attention to zero-emission applied sciences will put it in competitors with corporations like Tesla and JV accomplice Daimler Truck, that are each growing electrical trucks.

Like Volvo Trucks, Daimler Truck is specializing in each battery-electric and hydrogen autos.

In an interview with CNBC final 12 months Martin Daum, chairman of the board of administration at Daimler Truck, was asked about the debate between battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell.

“We go for each as a result of each … make sense,” he replied, earlier than explaining how completely different applied sciences can be acceptable in several situations.

“In common, you may say: If you go to metropolis supply the place you want decrease quantities of power in there, you may cost in a single day in a depot, then it’s definitely battery electrical,” he stated.

“But the second you are on the highway, the second you go from Stockholm to Barcelona … in my view, you want one thing which you’ll be able to transport higher and the place you may refuel higher and that’s in the end H2.”

“The ruling just isn’t out, however I believe it’s too dangerous for an organization our dimension to go with only one expertise.”

While there may be pleasure in some quarters in regards to the potential of hydrogen-powered autos, there are hurdles when it involves increasing the sector, some extent acknowledged by Volvo Trucks on Monday.

It pointed to challenges together with the “large-scale provide of inexperienced hydrogen” in addition to “the truth that refueling infrastructure for heavy autos is but to be developed.”

Described by the IEA as a “versatile power service,” hydrogen has a various vary of functions and could be deployed in a variety of industries.

It could be produced in plenty of methods. One technique contains utilizing electrolysis, with an electrical present splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen.

If the electrical energy used on this course of comes from a renewable supply reminiscent of wind or photo voltaic then some name it “inexperienced” or “renewable” hydrogen. Today, the overwhelming majority of hydrogen era relies on fossil fuels.

Last week, Volvo Construction Equipment, which can be a part of the Volvo Group, stated it had commenced testing of a “fuel cell articulated hauler prototype.”