In a major move towards sustainable transportation, Volvo Trucks North America has announced that they will be shipping freight trucks that run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) with up to 25 gallons of the plant-based fuel in their tanks. The company expects to purchase over 1 million gallons of HVO from its supplier and is excited about the potential of using renewable diesel in combination with electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks to decarbonize transportation.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, HVO is a renewable diesel that emits lower levels of harmful compounds into the environment when burned compared to petroleum-based diesel. This makes it an attractive option for companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint while still maintaining the performance and efficiency of traditional diesel engines.
Volvo President Peter Voorhoeve stated on April 24 that the availability of internal combustion engines that use renewable diesel, along with the emergence of electric trucks currently on the market and future hydrogen fuel cell trucks, offers multiple avenues for “decarbonizing transportation.” The Dublin facility, which employs 3,600 workers responsible for building all Volvo trucks for North America, is in the final stages of constructing a $400 million factory for producing truck cabs. These cabs will be used in a revised version of the VNL long-haul truck and are expected to be released later this year.
In summary, Volvo Trucks North America’s efforts to utilize HVO in their freight trucks and develop a new generation of truck cabs represent significant steps in promoting sustainable and eco-friendly transportation solutions within the industry. By embracing renewable energy sources and combining them with traditional engine technology, companies can help reduce emissions and create a more sustainable future for transportation.