Gothenburg’s streets are now home to the world’s first hydrogen-powered garbage truck. The drive, as well as the loading and compression of the waste, are all powered by electricity supplied by fuel cells. The heat generated by this process is used to heat the cabin.
For citizens of Gothenburg, the hydrogen automobile promises improved air quality, as the garbage truck emits only pure water. Additionally, electric operation is quiet, which improves the quality of life for inhabitants and provides a safer working environment for drivers.
Renova, PowerCell Sweden AB, Scania and JOAB have been working together since autumn 2019 to develop the car.
“When it comes to developing electrified vehicles, Renova is about being at the forefront when it comes to safety, the environment and technical development. Since 2015, all of our 250 heavy vehicles have been running on fossil-free fuel and in 2019 there will be an all-electric garbage truck in central Gothenburg”, says Anders Åström, CEO of Renova.
“With the hydrogen car, we and our customers are taking another step towards sustainable recycling and waste management. The hydrogen car offers great environmental benefits for everyone who lives and works in the city, for the urban environment and for our employees”, continues Anders, CEO of Renova.
“The hydrogen car requires significantly less battery capacity than other heavy vehicles with electric drive. It thus offers all the advantages of an electric car with the same charging capacity as a conventional diesel car”, says Hans Zackrisson, Head of Vehicle Development at Renova.
“I am proud that we in Sweden have now developed fuel cell vehicles for heavy traffic. It shows once again how important working with sustainability is, but also the importance of working in groups that we do together with partners. Now it will be interesting to see the vehicle in action in Gothenburg and the surrounding area over time”, says Joar Turesson, Product Marketing Manager at Scania Sweden.
“With the help of fuel cells and hydrogen, we can electrify heavy vans without losing charging capacity or range and with a refueling time that is not that different from diesel-powered vehicles”, says Andreas Bodén, Sales Manager at PowerCell Sweden AB.
The four firms have won a grant from the Swedish Energy Agency to promote the development of the electrified truck. The Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, is also involved in the research, collecting, processing, and analyzing data in order to compare it to various drive trains and vehicle fuels.
