At bauma in Munich, Volvo Penta unveiled its 8-liter dual-fuel hydrogen engine as well as the cube battery—which increases the versatility and flexibility of Volvo Penta's electromobility offering, opening up electrification opportunities for more customers across a wider range of industrial subsectors, machines and applications.

Dual-fuel hydrogen engine. By using hydrogen as a renewable fuel source, the engine—which is an evolution of the company’s proven D8 model—will reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 80%, without impacting power or performance.

The engine operates in a similar way as the conventional D8 model, but uses mainly hydrogen instead of diesel. If hydrogen is not available, the engine can continue to run on traditional fuel, safeguarding productivity and uptime.

The new Volvo Penta dual-fuel hydrogen engine offers customers a low-carbon interim solution before suitable zero-emissions alternatives become viable. It delivers the same power and torque curve as a regular diesel engine but with significantly lower CO₂ emissions. The technology is relatively simple and can be installed with minimal disruption, so we see this as being a cost-effective and robust solution for customers in a variety of applications—including construction and mining—who are looking to transition to net-zero emissions.

—Anders Wernersson, Product Manager for the dual-fuel hydrogen engine

Volvo Penta partnered with CMB.TECH to develop the dual-fuel hydrogen-powered solution. CMB.TECH provides and trials the hydrogen add-on kit and tank system that works together with the Volvo Penta D8 engine and software. Currently, the engines are being run in test cells to optimize the hydrogen-diesel injection strategy for maximum reliability and emissions savings.

The first engines will be working in end-customers machines in Europe in 2023 as part of a market pilot project, which will be followed by small-scale production. It will be a stepwise introduction based on market and customer demand and there will be a focus on the fit between the technology and customer needs, ensuring it makes sense to choose a dual-fuel powertrain.

Cube battery. The cube battery is based on proven Volvo Group technology. Both Volvo Penta’s cube battery and its existing flat-pack battery—which went into production in 2021—offer customers reliable power and range with a 40% increase in energy density compared to what was previously available, allowing equipment to work for longer before a re-charge is needed.

Measuring 768x684x668mm and boasting a lighter design, the cube battery delivers 90 kWh of energy, while the updated flat-pack battery delivers 94 kWh of energy.