(Ismaning) – In the “second half of this decade” Volvo Trucks wants to bring a fuel cell truck onto the market. So far, the company has offered battery-electric and biogas-powered vehicles.
1.000 kilometers range
“In just a few years, trucks with fuel cells will be an important addition to longer and heavier transports,” says Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks – but for now only on the test track. The electric trucks based on fuel cells 
should achieve a range of 15 kilometers with a charging time of 1.000 minutes, comparable to diesel trucks. The total weight could be 65 tons or more, and the output of the two fuel cells is 300 kilowatts (408 hp).
“Electric trucks with hydrogen-powered fuel cells are particularly suitable for long distances and heavy, energy-intensive tasks. “They could also be an option for countries where the options for charging batteries are limited,” says Roger Alm. The first customers could use the vehicles as part of a pilot phase before they are launched on the market.
Fuel cells from Cellcentric
The fuel cells are supplied by Cellcentric GmbH & Co KG, a joint venture between the Volvo Group and Daimler Truck AG founded in March 2021. In October last year, the company announced a fuel cell factory - at the time, construction was said to start in 2023, with series production scheduled to start in 2025. According to the information, it is one of the largest production facilities for the series production of fuel cells for heavy vehicles in Europe.
In April of this year, Cellcentric named Weilheim an der Teck as its desired location. According to the company, the approval process is now underway following public participation with a positive outcome.
It is uncertain exactly when the trucks will hit the roads. However, Volvo is currently trying to find its place when it comes to fuel cell propulsion. Recently, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) began testing a prototype six-wheeler fuel cell semi-trailer “HX04” started and sent to test tracks in Sweden.
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Volvo plans to bring fuel cell trucks to market in the second half of the decade. © Volvo Group Trucks Central Europe GmbH
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After a 15-minute refueling stop, the new vehicles should be able to travel 1.000 kilometers. © Volvo Group Trucks Central Europe GmbH
