Volvo turns to fuel cells

AB Volvo, parent company of Volvo Trucks North America, has formed a joint venture between Volvo Technology (VTEC) and Statoil. Known as Powercell, the jv will develop power units based on fuel-cell technology. “Through the use of fuel cell technology in the power unit, you can reduce emissions sharply,” said Gôran Wirmark, manager of VTEC Energy Conversion & Physics. Powercell holds a patent on a technology that could produce power units small enough to be installed in “standard trucks.”