Volvo Touts LNG as Best Available Alternative Fuel for Climate

In response to a proposed regulation in the European Union, Volvo Trucks has said “Liquefied gas is the best available climate alternative on the market for heavy regional and long-haul transport operations.”

Reducing climate-impacting emissions from heavy commercial traffic is a challenge that engages politicians and transport purchasers, haulage companies and vehicle manufacturers. In May the EU presented a regulation demanding declaration of CO2 figures from heavy vehicles as of 2019, with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions.

“This regulation will drive the development of lower emissions, where we see a clear possibility for increasing LNG market shares as a vital part of the solution,” said Lars Mårtensson, Director Environment and Innovation at Volvo Trucks. “Our vision is that trucks from Volvo will eventually have zero emissions, although the way of achieving that is not by one single solution but rather through several solutions in parallel.”

Volvo says natural gas can produce 20 percent lower CO2 emissions than diesel, and if RNG is used instead, the climate impact can be cut by up to 100 percent. While biogas is thus far only produced in limited quantities, the long-term availability of natural gas is excellent in a global perspective. This is an important condition for large-scale expansion, as is a competitive price.

In many European countries, natural gas costs less than diesel. Volvo says a strategy for expanding LNG infrastructure is also included in the European Commission’s and member states’ action packages for securing Europe’s long-term energy supply.

“All told, this makes liquefied gas the best widely available climate alternative on the market for long and heavy transports,” said Lars Mårtensson.