Volvo Pushes Beyond Diesel with New Hydrogen Combustion Truck Trials

The automotive company Volvo is once again taking the lead, beginning road tests with heavy trucks equipped with hydrogen combustion engines. This step marks another move in the company’s global strategy to eliminate transport powered by diesel and carbon-based fuels.

At present, the company is only conducting tests, while the official launch of the hydrogen-powered truck is expected to take place before 2030 in Europe. Volvo Trucks’ Director of Product Management, Jan Hjelmgren, states that these tests represent a major milestone for the company, and that Volvo’s hydrogen engine trucks will be “the best in the industry in terms of fuel efficiency, power, torque, and drivability.”

“Customers will be able to operate them just like diesel trucks. Our experience with HPDI technology in more than 10,000 gas-powered trucks is clear proof of its performance,” Hjelmgren adds.

Powerful and fuel-efficient: this is what Volvo’s hydrogen combustion engine trucks will be like

Volvo’s goal is to offer hydrogen combustion engine trucks particularly suited for long-distance transport. According to the truck manufacturer, this new offering is being developed to provide drivers and fleets with greater energy efficiency and higher engine power, while consuming less fuel.

This is made possible by High-Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI), a technology in which a small amount of ignition fuel is injected at high pressure to enable compression ignition before hydrogen is added.

According to Volvo’s official statement, trucks powered by green hydrogen combustion engines have the potential to achieve a net “well-to-wheel” CO₂ balance when renewable HVO is used as the ignition fuel.

In addition, their advanced hydrogen engine technology is derived from their diesel powertrain, allowing them to deliver performance similar to diesel engines while significantly reducing CO₂ emissions.

Hydrogen combustion engine trucks will complement the company’s broad portfolio of solutions to support the transition toward zero tailpipe emission transport in global markets. Volvo aims to offer battery-electric trucks, fuel cell electric trucks, and trucks powered by renewable fuels such as biogas and HVO.

Although their launch is currently planned for Europe, the company intends to bring these trucks to North America as well. However, large-scale deployment of hydrogen-powered trucks will require a hydrogen fueling infrastructure and a competitive hydrogen price, both of which are still under development.

Learn more about Volvo hydrogen fuel trucks

On its official website, Volvo shares some specifications of its hydrogen combustion engine trucks:

• The trucks feature HPDI technology from Cespira, a low fuel consumption technology.
• The trucks will have a range exceeding the daily distance traveled by many customers.
• Hydrogen can also be used to power fuel cell electric trucks, where electricity is generated onboard the vehicle.
• Fuel cell electric trucks produce no exhaust emissions, only water vapor.
• Volvo plans to launch fuel cell electric trucks in small volumes before 2030.