Volvo Trucks has announced that it is testing its fuel cell electric truck on public roads in Sweden for the first time. The tests are being conducted seven days a week and in all types of weather, according to Helena Alsiö, VP Powertrain Product Management at Volvo Trucks. The company says the harsh conditions in northern Sweden make for an ideal testing environment. The manufacturer first presented its FCEV prototypes last year, but they were only tested on closed tracks at that time.
The new FCEV prototype features a hydrogen fuel cell unit and two fuel cells that generate up to 300 kW of electricity. While the company has not released further technical details, it states that the trucks are suitable for longer transport assignments and could be used in rural areas with no charging infrastructure. The FCEV trucks are expected to hit the road in the second half of the decade.
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Volvo Trucks currently offers six battery-electric truck models, and one of them served as the basis for the fuel cell prototype. The company has not announced how many of its battery-electric trucks will also be offered with a fuel cell option in the future.
The fuel cell system has been developed and produced by the joint venture Cellcentric, which was set up by Volvo Trucks and Daimler Trucks. The two manufacturers are taking different approaches, with Daimler Trucks preferring liquid hydrogen and Volvo Trucks opting to store the hydrogen as gas in pressurised tanks.
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The practical and fleet tests with hauliers are expected to take place several years before the market launch, according to the industry standard. There are no further details on this yet. However, with Volvo Trucks making progress in its FCEV tests, it appears that fuel cell electric trucks will be an important part of the future of heavy commercial vehicles.
