It is completely quiet, and it only releases water. The first hydrogen-powered waste collection vehicle is now driving on the streets of Gothenburg. The propulsion, loading and compaction of the waste are powered by the electricity generated in the fuel cells. The generated heat is used to heat the cabin in the vehicle.
The vehicle will pick up recyclable material from businesses and services in Gothenburg. The hydrogen-powered waste collection vehicle means better air quality for the people of Gothenburg since the vehicle only releases clean water. The electric operation is also quiet, which increases the quality of life for people living in the area, and it also creates a better work environment for the driver of the vehicle.
Renova, PowerCell Sweden AB, Scania and JOAB have collaborated on the development of the vehicle since the autumn of 2019.
– The work has been partially delayed during 2020 because of the Covid-19 situation. That is why we are very happy to be able to put the vehicle into operation now, says Hans Zackrisson, Head of vehicle development at Renova.
– For Renova, the development of electrified vehicles is about being at the forefront when it comes to safety, environmental and technical development. All 250 of our heavy vehicles have been running on fossil-free fuels since 2015, and a completely electric waste collection vehicle began driving in Gothenburg in 2019, says Anders Åström, CEO of Renova.
– The hydrogen-powered vehicle takes us and our customers one step forward to sustainable recycling and waste management. The hydrogen-powered vehicle provides major environmental benefits for everyone who lives and works in the city, for the urban environment and for our staff, Anders continues.
The vehicle gets all the benefits electrification provides, while keeping some of the benefits of the fossil-fueled operation, such as range, uptime and load capacity.
– The hydrogen-powered vehicle requires considerably less battery capacity than other heavy electric vehicles. This means that it has all the benefits of an electric vehicle while having the same load capacity as a conventional diesel vehicle, says Hans Zackrisson.
Scania, who has a multifaceted view of sustainable transports, emphasizes the partnership as a key factor for successfully developing the first hydrogen-powered waste collection vehicle in Sweden.
– I am proud that we now have developed fuel-cell-powered vehicles for heavy vehicle traffic in Sweden. It shows once again how important the work with sustainability is, but it also shows the importance of working together in groups, that we do it together with partners. It will be interesting to follow the vehicle overtime in regular operation in and around Gothenburg, says Joar Turesson, Product Marketing Manager at Scania Sverige.
– We can electrify heavy transport vehicles with the help of fuel cells and hydrogen gas without losing load capacity or range, and with a refuelling time that is not significantly different from diesel-fueled vehicles, says Andreas Bodén, head of sales at PowerCell Sweden AB.
The four companies have received support in the form of grants from the Swedish Energy Agency for the development of the electrified vehicle. The Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, is also part of the project where they collect, process and analyze data to compare with other alternative drivetrains and vehicle fuels.
This text was originally written in Swedish, by Renova as a press release. You will find the text here:
Press release: Renova
