Volvo hedges its bets beyond batteries for heavy trucks

The company is developing trucks that run on batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, and combustion engines that burn biofuels, synthetic fuels and even hydrogen

Battery electrics are already the choice for buses, excavators and reloaders like refuse collectors. Picture: Larry Cummins

Conventional wisdom in transport has moved rather quickly from “electric cars aren’t happening” to “the future of all cars is battery powered”, but that only applies to light vehicles. 

There is still a healthy debate among executives of top automakers and analysts on what type of drivetrain will come to rule long-haul trucking.