Volvo Penta sets deadline for electric power

Volvo Penta has issued a clear statement of intent with the news that by 2021 it will provide electrified power solutions for both its land and sea-based business segments.

Underpinned by the success of hybrid and all-electric technology introduced by the Volvo Group in its beses and trucks, Volvo Penta says its electrified solutions will demonstrate the company’s long-term commitment to offering customers the latest and most appropriate power source for their user applications.

“Volvo Penta is embracing the electric transformation and will be at the forefront in delivering compelling business cases to customers using this new technology,” said Bjorn Ingemanson, president of Volvo Penta in a press statement released this week.

“We will take a full systems supplier approach helping our customers in the transition to the new technology. This will happen application-by-application, on the basis that the business case for switching to electric will differ across our many customer segments.

“This is the start of a long-term transition,” he added. “Diesel and gasoline-powered primary drive systems will remain the most appropriate power source for many applications for years to come.”

Time to start switching over
“Volvo Penta is already several years into its electrification journey,” said Johan Inden, chief technology officer.

As part of this increased commitment, Volvo Penta said it has restructured its organisation to accelerate the switch towards electrified power and has committed to an ambitious ramping up of its electrification investment program. An electromobility development-and-test laboratory has also been established at its Swedish headquarters.

As a Tier 1 partner to many leading equipment manufacturers in the marine and industrial segments, Volvo Penta is in a unique position to further develop the proven electric platforms from the Volvo Group such as those from its trucks and buses as it has done with diesel technology.

While the power outputs and applications of the initial electric systems are being kept confidential for the time being, the company has announced that both hybrid and all-electric solutions will be offered at the outset. Volvo Penta is already field testing early prototypes and system validation is under way.

Volvo says the company’s ability to offer customers an electrified option means Volvo Penta can deliver the most appropriate power source based on customer needs and application specifics.

“We have a deep understanding of power systems in a wide variety of applications, which we will use to help customers meet the transformation towards sustainable power solutions in the months and years ahead,” said Inden.

“These solutions will not just be more sustainable, they will also be high performance – delivering a no compromise win-win offering for customers and the environment,” he concluded.

Photos: Volvo Penta’s chief technology officer, Johan Carlsson, and system engineer, Karin Okman, discuss innovation for electromobility at the company’s new development-and-test laboratory in Gothenburg.