Volvo tests fuel cell hauler

Volvo says it’s ramping up its transition to sustainable mobility in the mining sphere, with Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) recently commencing testing of what it describes as the world’s first emission-free, hydrogen fuel cell powered articulated hauler prototype.

Dubbed the HX04, Volvo CE says the vehicle will help guide its future development programs, as the company continues its journey towards carbon neutrality and its Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitment of ‘net zero value chain greenhouse gas emissions by 2040’.

The Volvo HX04 is the result of a collaboration between Volvo, the Swedish Innovation Agency VINNOVA, Swedish Energy Agency, and Swedish Transport Administration, along with RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) and Powercell Sweden. The HX04 program kicked off in 2018 and will culminate this year.

The Volvo HX04 has been nicknamed ‘Electric Charlie’, as much of the vehicle’s testing has been carried out at Volvo CE’s Braås facility in Sweden, where the company’s very first articulated hauler, known as ‘Gravel Charlie’, was born in 1966.

Equipped with tanks capable of accepting up to 12kg of hydrogen, Volvo CE says Electric Charlie can be recharged in just 7.5 minutes, with a full tank sufficient to power the vehicle for around four hours.

Hydrogen fuel cells utilise a chemical reaction to combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, emitting only water vapour instead of the harmful emissions produced in an internal combustion engine.

To support the project, Shell has installed a hydrogen refuelling station in Braås. Both Shell and Volvo Group are founding members of H2 Accelerate, a consortium of companies working to develop the rollout of hydrogen-powered trucks in Europe.

According to Carolina Diez Ferrer, Head of Advanced Engineering Programs at Volvo CE, the HX04 program has accelerated Volvo’s efforts in the shift to sustainable transport.

“Being inventors of the world’s first articulated hauler more than 55 years ago, we are happy and proud to again drive change with this fuel cell hauler concept,” she said.

“While an early prototype, this innovation will give valuable insights into the opportunities of hydrogen in the energy transformation alongside battery-electric solutions. We believe that by exploring multiple technologies and working in partnership we can create the best path forward to decarbonize the construction industry.”

Volvo CE says it anticipates the commercialisation of hydrogen-powered vehicles to commence in the second half of this decade.

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