All new trucks from Volvo Trucks are filled from the factory with synthetic diesel – the so-called HVO100. BMW does the same with new passenger cars.
Volvo Trucks is now starting to fill all new diesel trucks with synthetic diesel, known as HVO100, directly from the factory. The initiative applies to factories in Sweden, Belgium, the USA and Australia. The aim is to reduce CO2 emissions from the trucks that are produced.
HVO100 is a synthetic diesel fuel made from vegetable and animal fats. The fuel is designed to act as a direct replacement for traditional diesel, which means the trucks can use it without technical changes.
According to Lars Mårtensson, head of environment and innovation at Volvo Trucks, this change is part of the company's efforts to minimize climate impact.
– The main reason is that we have a goal to reduce our CO2 emissions, reads a press release .
Volvo Trucks has no plans to phase out the diesel engine. But the company is still working to make its production less CO2-burdening.
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The transition to HVO100 was first implemented gradually in Sweden and Belgium. Earlier this year, the fuel was also introduced at factories in the USA, and now Australia is following suit. Commenting on the expansion, Martin Merrick, director of the Volvo Group in Australia:
– Incorporating HV100 into our manufacturing process is only one part of our multi-pronged CO2 strategy.
Volvo Trucks' strategy reflects a wider trend in the transport sector, where companies are investigating alternative fuels to reduce their climate footprint.
In a similar development, BMW has also announced that all new diesel cars from the factory will be refueled with synthetic fuel to make them more environmentally friendly.
With this initiative, Volvo Trucks is trying to balance between the continued use of diesel technology and an increased effort to reduce CO2 emissions. This underlines the challenges and opportunities that come with the search for more sustainable fuels.
