Power to the people:

New 500hp gas truck enters the market

Words: Harrison Thomas

A new, more powerful

gas engine that can run on liquified biogas has entered the market, giving operators the option of specifying a 500hp gas-powered heavy truck for the first time.

The new engine has been launched by Volvo Trucks – which previously only offered 420hp and 460hp gas variants – but believe the availability of the 500hp option will mean fleets can carry out more demanding, longer distance journeys, whilst still reducing overall CO2 emissions. The launch comes five years after Volvo Trucks launched its first trucks that can run on liquified biomethane, often called bio-LNG, which is a renewable fuel that can be produced from many types of organic waste, including food waste. The fuel can also reduce CO2 emissions by up to 100%.

“Biomethane is a great complement to electric transport solutions, helping hauliers with their sustainability ambitions and aims towards climate neutral transport,” says Daniel Bergstrand, Product Manager for gas-powered trucks at Volvo Trucks.

The new engine is being offered in both the Volvo FH and FM model ranges but can also be specified for the on/off-road FMX upon request. Across the range, Volvo’s 420hp and 460hp gas engines also benefit from the same major technical upgrades to help make them up to 4% more fuel efficient than the previous generation, which together with the availability of a new 10% larger gas tank on certain models, contributes to a longer range.

These changes have seen the gas engines completely updated, with the increased efficiency obtained by new injectors and pistons for lowered friction, together with a new turbo, variable oil pump, and crank case ventilation that handles unfiltered oil.

“Our efficient gas-powered trucks have a performance comparable to their diesel equivalents. Fuelling is almost as fast as a diesel truck and

Gasrec refuelling facilities

the growing network of more than 600 fuel stations for both bioLNG and LNG in Europe makes them ideal for long-haul work,” adds Bergstrand.

Commenting on the launch, James Westcott, Chief Commercial Officer for UK fuel supplier Gasrec, says: “This is a big statement from Volvo, and reinforces the importance of biomethane-fuelled trucks for the country’s decarbonisation strategy. For some fleets which have always run 500hp diesels and wouldn’t consider any less power for their operation, it’s putting a far more sustainable option on the table for them; with a driving experience which is almost identical.

“Demand for biomethane in road transport is currently higher than at any point previously; last year we saw the volume of gas we supplied to customers increase by more than a third, versus the previous 12 months. So much so that at our largest open-access refuelling facility at the Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal, we have had to add additional LNG dispensers in recent months. That’s where we’re seeing the greatest demand.”

Volvo Trucks says its strengthened gas-powered line-up fits well with its three-path strategic roadmap to reach net zero emissions: battery electric trucks, fuel cell trucks and combustion engines that run on renewable fuels like biogas, HVO or even green hydrogen.

“Several technical solutions are needed because the availability of energy and fuel infrastructure differs greatly between countries and regions, and also because the requirements for each transport assignment can vary,” says Bergstrand.

European production of bio-LNG is expected to ramp up quickly to shift away from the use of fossil LNG. The EU Commission has put forward a plan called REPower EU, where the focus is on creating greatly increased domestic production capacity for different kinds of energy. The plan is to boost annual biogas production 10 times by 2030 and the sector has already started a rapid growth phase. Outside of Europe the potential for biogas is also gaining interest.

Bio-LNG is a renewable fuel that is liquid biogas (biomethane). Any organic waste can be digested to produce biogas, for example sludge from treatment plants, food waste, manure and other residual products, whereas LNG is a fossil gas (methane) which is extracted from underground or undersea reserves.

The process for liquifying biogas is the same as for LNG; the gas is cooled down to –162 °C. The fuel then takes significantly less space, which makes it possible to bring a much larger amount of energy onboard the truck, which increases the range significantly.