Volvo Trucks announced its plan to conduct on-road tests of hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) trucks in 2026 with the goal of commercially launching a vehicle platform by the end of the decade. These trucks will utilize technology developed by Westport Fuel Systems, where a small amount of ignition fuel is injected at high pressure to allow compression ignition before adding hydrogen. When operated with green hydrogen and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as ignition fuel, Volvo states that the trucks would meet Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) criteria under new EU CO2 standards. The collaboration between Volvo Group and Westport will establish a joint venture to commercialize the HPDI technology, enabling diesel engine manufacturers to maintain their engine architecture while transitioning to gas as fuel. Volvo intends for the hydrogen ICE platform to complement its existing electric and potential hydrogen fuel cell truck offerings as part of its zero-emission strategy. The company's Head of Product Management and Quality, Jan Hjelmgren, highlighted that these hydrogen ICE trucks are expected to deliver similar performance and reliability to diesel trucks but with the added advantage of potentially achieving Net Zero CO2 emissions. Volvo acknowledges the need for diverse decarbonization solutions in the heavy transport sector, recognizing that different regions and applications may require various technologies such as electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and hydrogen ICE platforms.