沃爾沃卡車正引領(lǐng)到2050年實(shí)現(xiàn)凈零排放的潮流，但其他OEM會跟隨嗎？
沃爾沃卡車堅(jiān)信自己能在2040年前實(shí)現(xiàn)凈零碳排放，為了實(shí)現(xiàn)這一宏偉目標(biāo)，該公司采取了幾近狂熱的手段，并希望其他OEM效仿他們的做法。沃爾沃將其策略稱為“通往凈零之路”。
SAE受邀前往瑞典哥德堡，參觀沃爾沃的多家工廠，并在其試驗(yàn)場試駕了最新的卡車車型。除了參觀位于哥德堡市中心的新體驗(yàn)中心“World of Volvo”外，我們還得到了與沃爾沃工程師和高管直接交流的機(jī)會，以了解該公司如何實(shí)現(xiàn)其宏偉目標(biāo)。
“我們這樣做并不僅僅是因?yàn)榉ㄒ?guī)要求，”沃爾沃集團(tuán)執(zhí)行副總裁兼沃爾沃卡車總裁Roger Alm表示。“而是因?yàn)槲覀兿嘈胚@是為了保護(hù)下一代生活的環(huán)境而應(yīng)該做的正確之事。”
和大多數(shù)OEM一樣，沃爾沃正在采取多管齊下的方法實(shí)現(xiàn)凈零排放，并重金投資了多種推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)和技術(shù)的研發(fā)工程。雖然沃爾沃認(rèn)為純電卡車必將在未來的重型汽車行業(yè)中占有一席之地，但同時(shí)也認(rèn)識到，這并不是適用于所有市場和客戶的萬能解決方案。
“全世界有太多的政策制定者，一直忙于禁止某些技術(shù)，而并沒有告訴企業(yè)他們想要實(shí)現(xiàn)的目標(biāo)是什么，”沃爾沃集團(tuán)首席技術(shù)官Lars Stenqvist說。“我們不希望政府禁止技術(shù)，而是希望他們向企業(yè)說明他們想實(shí)現(xiàn)的目標(biāo)，然后讓我們的工程師去實(shí)現(xiàn)。”
在沃爾沃卡車位于哥德堡的主裝配廠的生產(chǎn)車間里，這種理念的成果正得到彰顯。在這里，傳統(tǒng)的內(nèi)燃機(jī)卡車與電動卡車依次有序生產(chǎn)。裝配線采用魚骨布局，卡車部件在各條獨(dú)立產(chǎn)線上生產(chǎn)，然后匯聚到一條如同脊柱一般的工廠主線上。
在工廠參觀期間，SAE目睹了內(nèi)燃機(jī)系統(tǒng)和電動系統(tǒng)與各自底盤的組裝，包括沃爾沃最新的旗艦D17柴油發(fā)動機(jī)的安裝。除了在其研發(fā)中心繼續(xù)投入巨資開發(fā)內(nèi)燃機(jī)和純電動系統(tǒng)技術(shù)外，沃爾沃還公布了在瑞典斯卡拉堡地區(qū)新建歐洲電池工廠的計(jì)劃。
據(jù)沃爾沃高管介紹，擬建工廠位于馬里斯塔德市，選擇那里建廠的部分原因是其靠近沃爾沃集團(tuán)目前位于舍夫德的動力總成主廠。該地點(diǎn)距沃爾沃集團(tuán)在哥德堡的研發(fā)中心和總部大約兩小時(shí)車程。
在我們于哥德堡逗留期間，沃爾沃高管詳細(xì)介紹了Proterra的收購情況及相關(guān)規(guī)劃。沃爾沃于今年第一季度收購了Proterra，其中包括Proterra Inc.的所有業(yè)務(wù)資產(chǎn)以及Proterra運(yùn)營公司。據(jù)報(bào)道，收購金額達(dá)2.1億美元，收購資產(chǎn)包括Proterra位于加州的電池模塊和電池組開發(fā)中心以及位于南卡羅來納州格里爾的組裝工廠。
“這些資產(chǎn)以及Proterra團(tuán)隊(duì)的專業(yè)技術(shù)是對我們現(xiàn)有業(yè)務(wù)的有力補(bǔ)充，使我們能夠進(jìn)一步加快純電動業(yè)務(wù)布局，”Stenqvist在一份聲明中說道。據(jù)報(bào)道，沃爾沃計(jì)劃將Proterra作為供應(yīng)商運(yùn)營，并向選定客戶供應(yīng)電池組。
在動力技術(shù)譜系的另一端，沃爾沃新推出的D17發(fā)動機(jī)正為目前歐洲市場上出售的動力最強(qiáng)勁的卡車服務(wù)。在沃爾沃的哥德堡試驗(yàn)場，SAE通過試駕一輛FH16卡車體驗(yàn)了這款發(fā)動機(jī)的性能。雖然測試車掛載的串聯(lián)掛車當(dāng)時(shí)并無載重，但卡車在爬坡時(shí)的輕松表現(xiàn)著實(shí)令人印象深刻，表明其動力儲備相當(dāng)充足。
D17是沃爾沃最新的17L結(jié)構(gòu)，功率輸出范圍為600-780 hp（447-582 kW）。扭矩輸出范圍為3000-3800 Nm（2212-2802磅英尺）。D17配備了單渦輪增壓器以及沃爾沃專利的波形活塞設(shè)計(jì)，可優(yōu)化燃燒并減少排放。這一設(shè)計(jì)也應(yīng)用在最近面向北美市場發(fā)布的VNL自動駕駛半掛卡車的D13發(fā)動機(jī)上。
沃爾沃表示，所有功率等級的D17發(fā)動機(jī)均可使用氫化植物基燃油（HVO），700hp版本還可使用100%生物柴油（B100）。據(jù)悉，配備新D17發(fā)動機(jī)的沃爾沃FH16卡車將于2024年中期開始銷售，并計(jì)劃在今年下半年啟動生產(chǎn)。
沃爾沃是如何將這些策略融合在一起？一方面，投資電動卡車（以及燃料電池）的生產(chǎn)，但同時(shí)，也在生產(chǎn)公司有史以來最大、最強(qiáng)勁的內(nèi)燃機(jī)。乍看之下，這似乎與沃爾沃的凈零排放目標(biāo)背道而馳，但在這股斯堪的納維亞式的瘋狂背后確有其方法和科學(xué)依據(jù)。
事實(shí)上，看似威脅內(nèi)燃機(jī)生存的法規(guī)卻為像D17這樣的“巨獸”創(chuàng)造了機(jī)會。瑞典政府于去年12月最新頒布的8級卡車長度和重量法規(guī)允許最長達(dá)113英尺（34.5米）、總重達(dá)100噸的組合掛車在規(guī)定的瑞典高速公路上行駛。
根據(jù)沃爾沃引用的瑞典政府統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)據(jù)，這些更長、更重的拖車可使單條路線的能耗減少多達(dá)30%，對于整個(gè)運(yùn)輸業(yè)則減少約4-6%。據(jù)悉，這些數(shù)據(jù)也適用于其他推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)，如純電動和氫燃料電池系統(tǒng)。沃爾沃估計(jì)，一輛34.5米的牽引式掛車可以運(yùn)輸相當(dāng)于兩到三輛傳統(tǒng)卡車的貨物。
盡管如此，沃爾沃預(yù)計(jì)純電動和燃料電池卡車將在未來幾十年內(nèi)逐漸占據(jù)卡車市場的份額。據(jù)其預(yù)測，純電動和燃料電池卡車將在2030年至2040年間超過內(nèi)燃機(jī)卡車的銷量，三種動力系統(tǒng)的市場份額將在2040年左右穩(wěn)定下來。
Alm表示：“我們正致力于實(shí)現(xiàn)我們的減排目標(biāo)：到2030年，我們50%的新售卡車將實(shí)現(xiàn)零排放。到2040年，我們100%的新售卡車將實(shí)現(xiàn)零排放。到2050年，我們?nèi)蛩行率劭ㄜ嚩紝?shí)現(xiàn)零排放。”
Volvo Trucks is betting on themselves to reach the aggressive goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. The company is taking an almost fanatical approach to its emissions reduction targets in hopes that other OEMs will follow their lead. Volvo refers to this approach as “The Road to Net Zero.”
SAE Media was invited to Gothenburg, Sweden, to tour many of Volvo’s facilities and experience its latest truck offerings at its proving grounds. In addition to touring the newly christened World of Volvo, the company’s new experience center located in the heart of Gothenburg, our group of select journalists was provided unfettered access to company engineers and executives to glean how the company plans to achieve its ambitious targets.
“We are not doing this simply because we have to,” said Roger Alm, executive VP of Volvo Group and president of Volvo Trucks. “We are taking this approach because we believe it is the right thing to do to preserve the environment for future generations.”
A multifaceted approach
Like most OEMs, Volvo is taking a multi-pronged approach to achieving net-zero emissions. The company has invested heavily in engineering and R&D for multiple propulsion systems and technologies. Though battery-electric trucks are certainly part of the picture in Volvo’s projection for the heavy-duty sector, they do not represent a solution for all markets and customers in the company’s view.
“Too many politicians across the globe are a little bit too trigger-happy and want to ban technologies instead of telling us what they want to achieve,” said Lars Stenqvist, chief technology officer of Volvo Group. “We don’t want governments to ban technologies, we want them to ask us what it is they want to accomplish, then let our engineers accomplish that goal.”
Nowhere is the commitment to this approach more apparent than on the shop floor at Volvo Trucks’ main assembly plant in Gothenburg, where traditional ICE trucks are built in series with its electric units. The assembly line is a fishbone layout, where trucks come down individual lines, but then converge into a single line to form the spine of the plant.
During the plant tour, SAE Media witnessed the marriage of both ICE and electric powertrains to their respective chassis, including the installation of Volvo’s new flagship D17 diesel engine. In addition to investing large sums into its R&D center for continued development of ICE and BEV powertrain technologies, Volvo also laid out plans for its new European battery factory in the Skaraborg region in Sweden.
According to Volvo executives, the proposed site in the municipality of Mariestad was selected in part due to its proximity to Volvo Group’s current main powertrain plant in Skövde. The proposed site sits roughly two hours from Volvo Group’s R&D centers and headquarters in Gothenburg.
During our stay in Gothenburg, Volvo executives detailed the purchase of and plans for Proterra, which was acquired by Volvo in the first quarter of this year. Volvo’s acquisition included all business assets of Proterra Inc. as well as the Proterra Operating Company. The firm was acquired for a reported sum of 210 million USD and included Proterra’s development center for battery modules and packs in California as well as its assembly factory in Greer, South Carolina.
“These assets and the skills and competence of the Proterra team are a great complement to our current footprint and enables us to accelerate our battery-electric roadmap even further,” Stenqvist said in a statement. Volvo reportedly plans to operate Proterra as a supplier and deliver battery packs to selected customers.
Mean and green ICE
On the other end of the propulsion spectrum, Volvo’s new D17 engine is powering some of the most powerful trucks currently on sale in the EU. SAE Media was able to experience this engine from behind the wheel in an FH16 truck at Volvo’s proving grounds in Gothenburg. Though the tandem trailers that were hitched to our test vehicle were unladen, the ease with which the truck moved them up grades was impressive, and it was apparent that there was plenty of power in reserve.
The D17 is Volvo’s latest 17-liter architecture with power outputs ranging from 600 to 780 hp (447 to 582 kW). Torque output ranges from 3000 to 3800 Nm (2212 to 2802 lb-ft). The D17 is outfitted with a single turbocharger as well as Volvo’s patented wave piston design that optimizes combustion and reduces emissions. The design is also shared with the D13 engine in the recently announced VNL for North America.
Volvo states that the new D17 is certified to run on HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) in all power ratings. The 700-hp version is also certified to run on 100% biodiesel (B100). Sales of the Volvo FH16 with the new D17 engine will reportedly begin in mid-2024, with production slated to begin in the second half of this year.
The big picture
So how do these strategies converge? Investing in the production of electric trucks (as well as fuel cells) while also producing the company’s largest and most powerful IC engine ever may seem counterintuitive to Volvo’s goal of net-zero emissions on the surface. But there is a method — and science — to this Scandinavian brand of madness.
Regulations that on one hand appear to be squeezing ICE out of the picture have opened opportunities for behemoths like the D17. For example, the Swedish government recently enacted new length and weight regulations for Class 8 trucks. These regs, which went into effect in December of last year, permit the use of combination trailers of up to 113 feet (34.5 meters) long with a GCW of up to 100 tons on specific Swedish highways.
According to statistics presented by Volvo from the Swedish government, it is estimated that utilizing these longer and heavier trailers reduces energy consumption by up to 30% for individual routes and by 4-6% when extrapolated across the transport industry. These figures also reportedly apply to other propulsion systems such as BEVs and hydrogen fuel cells. Volvo estimates that one 34.5-m tractor-trailer can carry the same freight as two or three conventional trucks.
That said, Volvo projects that battery and fuel-cell electric trucks will begin to take over share of the truck market in the coming decades. According to company projections, battery and fuel-cell trucks will overtake sales of ICE units sometime between 2030 and 2040, with market share between the three propulsion systems stabilizing around 2040.
“We are committed to our emissions goals: 50% of our new trucks will be zero-emission vehicles by 2030. And 100% of our new trucks will be zero emission by 2040,” Alm said. “Our entire global population of new trucks will be zero-emission vehicles by 2050.”
FH16是搭載沃爾沃新D17發(fā)動機(jī)的卡車車型之一。（沃爾沃）
沃爾沃集團(tuán)首席技術(shù)官Lars Stenqvist（沃爾沃）
位于瑞典哥德堡的沃爾沃卡車裝配廠內(nèi)部。（沃爾沃）
沃爾沃FH和FM重型卡車使用三星SDI提供的NCA鋰離子電池。（Ryan Gehm）
D17，沃爾沃最新的17L結(jié)構(gòu)發(fā)動機(jī)。（沃爾沃）
沃爾沃在多種推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)和技術(shù)的工程設(shè)計(jì)和研發(fā)方面進(jìn)行了大量投資。（沃爾沃）
沃爾沃預(yù)計(jì)，未來幾十年，電池和燃料電池卡車將開始占據(jù)卡車市場的份額。（沃爾沃）