New trucks from Volvo running on gas

[kscarbel2]

Volvo Group Press Release  /  October 3, 2017

Volvo Trucks is now introducing Euro 6-compliant heavy duty trucks running on liquefied natural gas or biogas. The trucks can cut CO2 emissions by 20 to 100 per cent. With a firm focus on new, energy-efficient technology for gas-powered vehicles, Volvo Trucks makes it possible to significantly reduce the climate impact of heavy regional and long-haul transport operations.

“We regard LNG, liquefied natural gas, as a long-term first choice alternative to diesel, both for regional and long-haul truck operations where fuel efficiency, payload and productivity are crucial. With a higher proportion of biogas, climate impact can be reduced far more. For transport operations in urban environments, where range is not as critical, electrified vehicles will play a greater role in the future. Our vision is that trucks from Volvo will eventually have zero emissions, although the way of achieving that is not by one single solution but through several solutions in parallel. LNG is one of them,” says Lars Mårtensson, Director Environment and Innovation at Volvo Trucks.

The new trucks, the Volvo FH LNG and Volvo FM LNG, can run on either biogas, which cuts CO2 by up to 100 per cent, or natural gas which reduces CO2 emissions by 20 per cent compared with diesel. This relates to emissions from the vehicle during usage, known as tank-to-wheel.

Compared with current gas-powered trucks available on the market, Volvo Trucks’ new vehicles use 15 to 25 per cent less fuel. LNG gives the trucks the greatest possible operating range.

“Our new trucks running on liquefied natural gas or biogas produce a far smaller climate footprint than diesel trucks do. In addition, they are much more fuel-efficient than the gas-powered trucks available on the market today. This makes gas more viable as a replacement for diesel even for heavy long-haul operations,” says Mats Franzén, Product Manager Engines at Volvo Trucks.

Volvo Trucks is now working together with gas suppliers and customers to develop the expansion of LNG infrastructure in Europe. This development is also being supported politically in many countries and by the EU. A strategy for expanding LNG infrastructure is also included in the European Commission and member states’ action packages for securing Europe’s long-term energy supply.

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[kscarbel2]

Volvo Launches Natural Gas Trucks in Europe

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)  /  October 3, 2017

Sweden's Volvo Trucks has introduced two natural gas heavy-duty trucks to the European market that the OEM claims can cut CO2 emissions by 20% to 100%.

The new trucks, the Volvo FH LNG and Volvo FM LNG, can run on either biogas or natural gas and are compliant with Euro 6 engine-emissions regulations.

Volvo claims that the biogas version can cut CO2 emissions by 100% compared to the regular natural gas version that reduces CO2 emissions by 20%. This relates to emissions from the vehicle during usage, known as tank-to-wheel, according to the company.

“We regard LNG, liquefied natural gas, as a long-term first choice alternative to diesel, both for regional and long-haul truck operations where fuel efficiency, payload, and productivity are crucial. With a higher proportion of biogas, climate impact can be reduced far more,” said Lars Mårtensson, director environment and innovation at Volvo Trucks.

“For transport operations in urban environments, where range is not as critical, electrified vehicles will play a greater role in the future," he added. "Our vision is that trucks from Volvo will eventually have zero emissions, although the way of achieving that is not by one single solution, but through several solutions in parallel.”

The trucks will use 15% to 20% less fuel than current gas-powered trucks, according to Volvo. Using LNG will give the vehicles the greatest possible operating range.

Volvo Trucks noted that it is currently working with gas suppliers and customers to develop the expansion of LNG infrastructure in Europe. This effort is being supported politically in many countries and by the European Union. A strategy for expanding LNG infrastructure is also included in the European Commission and member states’ action packages for securing Europe’s long-term energy supply.

“Our new trucks running on liquefied natural gas or biogas produce a far smaller climate footprint than diesel trucks do," said Mats Franzén, product manager-- engines at Volvo Trucks. "In addition, they are much more fuel-efficient than the gas-powered trucks available on the market today. This makes gas more viable as a replacement for diesel even for heavy long-haul operations.”

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[kscarbel2]

New Euro 6 trucks from Volvo running on LNG offer the same performance as diesel, but with 20-100% lower CO₂ emissions

Green Car Congress  /  October 4, 2017

Volvo Trucks is now introducing Euro 6-compliant heavy duty trucks running on liquefied natural gas or biogas. The new trucks have the same performance, driveability and fuel consumption as Volvo’s diesel-powered models. Furthermore, the new trucks’ CO₂ emissions are 20–100% lower compared with diesel, depending on choice of fuel. The new Volvo FH LNG and Volvo FM LNG are available with 420 or 460 hp for heavy regional and long-haul operations.

Instead of an Otto cycle engine, which is the conventional solution for gas-powered vehicles, the Volvo FH LNG and Volvo FM LNG are powered by gas engines utilizing Diesel cycle technology. This means that an operator who chooses gas can do so without compromising on driveability, fuel efficiency or reliability. Volvo’s 460 hp gas engine delivers maximum torque of 2300 N·m while the 420 hp version produces 2100 N·m. This is the same as Volvo’s corresponding diesel engines. Fuel consumption is on a par with Volvo’s diesel engines, but 15 to 25% lower than for conventional gas engines.

The fuel used is natural gas in the form of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) or biogas (bio-LNG). Both fuels consist of methane. If biogas is used, the climate footprint can shrink by as much as 100% and if natural gas is used, the reduction is 20%. This relates to emissions from the vehicle during usage, known as tank-to-wheel.

In order to maximise the driving range, the tanks are filled with LNG, which is stored at 4-10 bar pressure at a temperature of -140 to -125 °C. The biggest fuel tank variant contains enough LNG for a range of up to 1000 km (621 miles). Refueling takes about the same time as filling up with diesel. When driving, the fuel is warmed up, pressurized and converted into a gas before it is injected into the engine. In order to ignite the gas, a tiny quantity of diesel is added at the moment of injection. A 100% reduction of CO₂ emissions requires that fossil diesel is replaced with HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils) and combined with bio-LNG.

Volvo Trucks is now working together with gas suppliers and customers to develop the expansion of LNG infrastructure in Europe. This development is also being supported politically in many countries and by the EU. A strategy for expanding LNG infrastructure is also included in the European Commission and member states’ action packages for securing Europe’s long-term energy supply.

The Volvo FH LNG and Volvo FM LNG are Whole-Vehicle Type-approved and certified as per European standard ECE R110. Sales of Volvo FM LNG and Volvo FH LNG will start during spring 2018.

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[BC Mack]

KSC

is this the ultimate outcome of the Volvo FH that Westport was testing in Vancouver a few years ago???

BC Mack

[kscarbel2]

Westport knows that it needs to partner with more customers than just Cummins and China's Weichai (Steyr engine producer). The Cummins relationship is rocky, what with Cummins developing their own gas engines of late.

So.............Westport has licensed Volvo to use Westport's lead technology, their spark-ignited HPDI 2.0, which until now had not been a sales success.

So yes, Volvo is using Westport HPDI 2.0 technology. 

(HPDI = High Pressure Direct Injection)

Background on HPDI 2.0 - http://www.greencarcongress.com/2014/10/20141001-hpdi.html

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