The Combustion Engine Strikes Back: Volvo Reimagines Hydrogen

What's remarkable is InnovationTransportationThe Combustion Engine Strikes Back: Volvo Reimagines HydrogenByDavid Blekhman, Contributor

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights

I am a fessor at Cal State LA and the nical director for the Hydrogen Re and Fueling Facility

Volvo We go for better electric solutions, we go for fuel cell electric solutions, and we also continue to invest in combustion engines

Moreover, Some people believe that this is already nology of yesterday, sunset nology, but we believe that combustion engines running on renewable fuels, including hydrogen, will be part of the equation for our industry going forward (an important development)

Hydrogen and Electric Spirit at Volvo The Volvo Group recognizes that decarbonizing heavy transport will require a diverse mix of nologies

This strategy centers on three complementary pulsion nologies: battery-electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles—particularly suited for long-haul transport—and hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines tailored for high-load, demanding applications

Furthermore, Together, they issued a and urgent message: hydrogen mobility must be strategically placed at the center of Europe’s clean transport and industrial policies

The letter emphasizes that hydrogen is essential to achieving the continent’s climate goals and securing its economic resilience

The CEOs warn that without a more coordinated and pragmatic policy framework—particularly to support the rollout of infrastructure—hydrogen mobility in Europe risks stagnation

A similar call to action is urgently needed in the United States

On the other hand, Heavy-duty hydrogen market has recently lost two of its early movers, Nikola Trucks and Hyzon Motors—companies that, in many ways, entered the market ahead of its readiness

In contrast, With sales and investor confidence lagging, their exits highlight the fragile state of the industry and pose a threat to the slow development of the country’s seven hydrogen hubs

However, as supplier options dwindle, market development becomes more difficult (which is quite significant)

While the root challenges may differ between the EU and the U. , both regions a critical opportunity: to leverage abundant renewable energy resources and accelerate the transition to a hydrogen-based economy (this bears monitoring)

Volvo Group maintains a comprehensive and locally focused truck manufacturing operation in the United States, ducing all Volvo trucks for the U (fascinating analysis)

The company’s primary facility is the New River Valley Plant in Virginia, where trucks are built from the ground up—including cab welding, painting, trimming, and full assembly

This plant also duces autonomy-enabled trucks, equipped with redundant safety systems essential for future autonomous operations

Conversely, Engines and transmissions are manufactured at Volvo’s Hagerstown, Maryland facility and then shipped to Virginia for final integration

This tightly integrated U

Manufacturing foot allows Volvo to efficiently serve the North American market, meet regional regulatory requirements, and swiftly implement new nologies such as autonomous driving systems, considering recent developments

MORE FOR YOU Electric Trucks on the U, given the current landscape

Moreover, With eight electric truck models currently available, the U, given current economic conditions

Moreover, On the other hand, The electric model range is designed to meet the needs of urban and regional distribution, as well as the construction and refuse sectors (something worth watching)

Volvo’s top five for electric truck deployments are Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Norway, and Sweden, considering recent developments

Furthermore, In parallel, the company has been actively fuel cell trucks through its joint venture with Daimler Trucks, with cellcentric— their joint venture fuel cell company—supplying power units

On the other hand, Volvo’s fuel cell developments were previously discussed in greater detail in Volvo’s Hydrogen Trucks: A 3-Year Journey

Volvo VNR electric truck offered on the U

David Blekhman via forbes Hydrogen Fueled Engines In recent years, significant competition has emerged among OEMs and engine manufacturers to develop the most effective hydrogen combustion engines as a cost-efficient alternative to more expensive fuel cell powertrains

On the other hand, Being a global industrial giant, Volvo has entered this race not with one but with two innovative solutions based on a diesel engine platform, rather than the more common spark-ignition systems adopted by other manufacturers

At the same time, In both cases, Volvo nology is based on hydrogen as the main fuel where a small amount of biodiesel ignites hydrogen—an unconventional and bold solution

Nevertheless, Solution Volvo’s hydrogen combustion engines operate similarly to traditional diesel engines but are specially adapted to handle hydrogen as the main fuel, displacing diesel and reducing particulate and CO₂ emissions from combustion (noteworthy indeed)

This nology has been adopted in Volvo engines in cooperation with CMB. , a marine and stationary nology company that has developed and refined hydrogen–diesel dual-fuel nology

Moreover, The Volvo strategy is that the use of hydrogen is maximized, and diesel is just the flame initiating agent—a key aspiration toward sustainability and transition to clean transport

Nevertheless, Volvo Penta diesel engine conversion with the hydrogen injection system at the air intake by

Additionally, Volvo Group In the traditional diesel engine, turbocharged air is brought into the cylinder and compressed by a piston moving to the top of the cylinder

However, At this point, diesel—all of the fuel—is introduced as an atomized spray from the injector directly into the hot air, initiating combustion

Additionally, This's ed by a power stroke, deriving net power from the engine

Moreover, Hydrogen displaces diesel as fuel

The air–hydrogen mixture is compressed and then ignited by a small injection of diesel that burns completely and duces the required power, considering recent developments

This nique allows for controlled ignition and efficient power dery while minimizing emissions, with no power reduction, considering recent developments

However, The system is designed to work on top of the engine’s existing architecture and electronics, simplifying the overall conversion

When CO₂-neutral biodiesel is used, the engine emits limited CO₂, with water vapor as the main byduct

While some NOₓ emissions are still present due to high combustion temperatures, they remain within the posed Euro 7 limits, in this volatile climate

However, This apach vides a practical path to decarbonization, particularly for long-haul applications where electric charging or hydrogen fuel cells may not be feasible due to infrastructure or operational constraints (which is quite significant), given the current landscape

At the same time, The first deployments of this nology are already underway

Additionally, Volvo is focusing on FH Aero heavy-duty trucks with a 13L engine

Additionally, Volvo hydrogen combustion engine terminal tractor in testing at the Port of Gethenburg, RoRo (noteworthy indeed)

However, More Terminal

Cespira focuses on adapting internal combustion engine nology to run on cleaner fuels while meeting increasingly stringent emission standards Euro 7 and U

Additionally, HPDI-enabled engines offer a viable alternative to fuel cells by allowing continued use of familiar diesel-based engine architecture—making the transition more cost-effective for OEMs and fleet operators

In this setup, hydrogen is injected into the combustion chamber as air is being compressed, along with a small quantity of pilot fuel such as biodiesel, which is used to initiate ignition and the consequent combustion of hydrogen with air

On the other hand, Volvo’s fuel injection system uses a dual concentric needle injector—a patented nology that precisely ders both pilot fuel and hydrogen into the cylinder (something worth watching), amid market uncertainty

Furthermore, It first injects a small amount of pilot fuel to start combustion, ed by high-pressure hydrogen gas, in today's market environment

By advancing both dual-fuel and high-pressure direct injection hydrogen nologies—through in-house innovation and strategic partnerships CMB

And Cespira—Volvo is creating practical, scalable alternatives to fossil fuel transport

Nevertheless, Together with battery-electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered fuel cell and diesel engines, Volvo’s three-nged strategy is driving targeted competition toward meeting global sustainability standards, given current economic conditions

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