Volvo Trucks North America Continues ‘Toward Zero’ by Fueling All New Trucks with HVO at the New River Valley Plant
24 Abril 2024 - 9:05AM
Volvo Trucks North America has announced a significant advancement
in its sustainability efforts by fueling newly assembled trucks
with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a renewable fuel, as they
depart from the Volvo Trucks New River Valley Assembly Operations
(NRV) in Dublin, Virginia. All Volvo trucks for the North American
market are produced at the NRV plant, including the all-new Volvo
VNL that will begin production later this summer. This initiative
is part of Volvo Trucks’ broader strategy to decarbonize the
industry through a three-pillar approach: enhancing internal
combustion engine (ICE) efficiency and drop-in renewable fuels to
make the largest immediate emissions reductions while continuing to
scale the Class 8 Volvo VNR Electric and developing hydrogen fuel
cell trucks.
“Today and for the foreseeable future there will not be a
one-size fits all approach to decarbonizing transportation,” said
Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America. “That is
why, at Volvo Trucks, we are focused on the three-pillar strategy
with battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and renewable fuels in
the internal combustion engine. With the all-new Volvo VNL and by
utilizing HVO, we can make the most substantial and immediate
impact today. There is a future for the ICE and we’re happy to be
doing all factory fills with renewable fuel, an important step
towards walking the talk in our sustainability journey.”
HVO is a renewable fuel that can be used in the same engine as
fossil-based diesel without requiring engine modifications.
Produced from renewable sources such as waste vegetable oils and
animal fats, HVO has the same chemical structure as fossil-based
diesel so it can be used as a direct replacement to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining engine performance. By
utilizing these waste products as feedstocks, HVO production can
promote a more sustainable circular economy by converting waste
into valuable fuel.
Unlike first-generation biofuels, these raw sources are
processed using a sophisticated hydrotreatment to achieve high
levels of purity allowing HVO to be stored, used, pumped, and
handled virtually the same way as fossil-based diesel products.
Because HVO is hydrogenated it doesn’t contain oxygen and does not
present the challenges of first-generation biofuels, including
biodiesel, relating to extreme temperature and storage. This is an
added benefit of HVO as it does not require separate storage or
fueling infrastructure. HVO, often referred to as renewable diesel,
can be used interchangeably with petroleum diesel. Renewable diesel
at any blend up to a maximum of 100% (RD100) that conforms to ASTM
D975 or EN15940 will not adversely affect engine or aftertreatment
performance or durability.
Volvo Trucks is fueling new trucks leaving the NRV plant with 20
to 25 gallons of HVO per tank, with full tanks provided for trucks
destined directly to customers. This initiative is expected to
replace 1,125,000 gallons of fossil-based diesel annually,
achieving an estimated 75% to 85% reduction in CO2 emissions for
Volvo Trucks' operations in North America.
With increasing demand from shippers for sustainable transport
options, HVO offers Volvo Trucks' customers a viable solution to
meet these challenges today. The recent launch of the all-new Volvo
VNL, featuring a 10% improvement in fuel efficiency from powertrain
and aerodynamic advancements, exemplifies the ongoing potential for
significant environmental benefits from internal combustion engine
vehicles when powered by renewable fuels.
“The internal combustion engine has more than 100 years of
research and development and established support in the industry.
It must be part of the decarbonization journey and major, immediate
decarbonization possibilities exist by using renewable fuels,
including HVO and hydrogen,” said Johan Agebrand, director of
product marketing, Volvo Trucks North America. “Volvo Trucks
continues to work with the industry to broaden the use of renewable
fuels. Fuels produced using hydrotreatment process such as, HVO and
RD100, can be interchangeable with diesel and a viable fuel to
decarbonize transportation that truck operators can start using
today.”
To learn more about Volvo Trucks North America, visit the
company website.
High-resolution images associated with this press release and
others are available at https://press.volvotrucks.us/.
For further information, please contact:
Kyle Zimmerman
Public Relations Manager, Volvo Trucks North America
kyle.zimmerman@volvo.com
(704) 677-9757
Volvo Trucks North America, headquartered in Greensboro, North
Carolina, is one of the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturers in
North America. Its Uptime Services commitment is delivered by a
network of nearly 400 authorized dealers across North America and
the 24/7 Volvo Trucks Uptime Center. Every Volvo truck is assembled
in the Volvo Trucks New River Valley manufacturing facility in
Dublin, Virginia, which meets the internationally recognized ISO
9001 standard for quality, 14001 standard for environmental care
and holds a dual ISO 50001/Superior Energy Performance
certification at the platinum level, indicating a sustained
excellence in energy management. Volvo Trucks North America
provides complete transport solutions for its customers, offering a
full range of diesel, alternative-fuel and all-electric vehicles,
and is part of the Volvo Trucks global organization.
Volvo Trucks supplies complete transport solutions for
discerning professional customers with its full range of medium-
and heavy-duty trucks. Customer support is provided via a global
network of dealers with 2,200 service points in about 130
countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 12 countries across the
globe. In 2023 approximately 145,000 Volvo trucks were delivered
worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the
world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction
equipment and marine and industrial engines. The group also
provides complete solutions for financing and service. Volvo
Trucks’ work is based on the core values of quality, safety and
environmental care.
- Volvo Trucks New River Valley Plant On the Line
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Lawren Markle
GNA, a TRC Company, for Volvo Trucks North America
424-224-5364
lawren.markle@gladstein.org