Like a number of other major truck manufacturers, the tests were also conducted above the Arctic Circle in the north of Sweden.
“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,” says Helena Alsiö, VP Powertrain Product Management at Volvo Trucks. “I am pleased to say that the tests are going well, confirming tests we carried out beforehand, both digitally and on our confined test track close to Gothenburg.”
According to Volvo trucks, fuel cell electric trucks will be available in the second half of this dec ade. The company adds that tests with hauliers will start a few years before the commercial launch. The hydrogen-powered fuel cell trucks will use two fuel cells with a capacity to generate 300 kW of electric power.
To speed up the development, Volvo Group has also joined forces with Daimler to develop and produce fuel cell systems that are tailor-made for heavy-duty vehicles.