Volvo Group invests in hydrogen research through PhD student at TechForH2

Volvo Group is further developing the internal combustion engine with hydrogen as a propulsion technology by initiating PhD scholarships dedicated to the area. In collaboration with the excellence center TechForH2, a doctoral student will conduct their research at Chalmers University of Technology, while employed by Volvo Group.

"Hydrogen research at Chalmers, not least with the TechForH2 center, is an exciting and collaborative environment that will be further enriched with the new PhD scholarship," says Martin Nilsson Jacobi, President and CEO, Chalmers University of Technology. "The technology being developed represents further steps in the transition to a fossil-free society. Hydrogen combustion can create robustness and thereby help us cope with many global transition scenarios."

Volvo Group continues to focus on research and development of the internal combustion engine to help reach net zero across trucks, buses, construction, marine and industrial solutions. Combustion engine technology has been continuously developed and refined throughout the history of the Volvo Group and is still relevant in today’s and tomorrow’s landscape, alongside new technologies. Here, the research conducted at TechForH2 can make a big impact.

“We believe that the future will demand varied propulsion applications to meet our customers’ needs and environmental demands. This is why we are taking a three-pronged approach to propulsion. I see the internal combustion engine running on green hydrogen as another solution of high interest which we are currently testing in our engine labs and test vehicles,” says Lars Stenqvist, Chief Technology Officer Volvo Group.

Once recruited, the candidate at TechForH2 will become industrial PhD students and will accomplish their research during 2024-2029. The student will be employed by Volvo Group, who will also finance research, supervision, and experimental expenses.

“Our scholarship is an initiative to not only safeguard education of researchers but also to aid the transition to sustainable transportation with one of the three propulsion technologies of the Volvo Group. It’s important for industry and academia to have a strong partnership and we welcome more initiatives to secure long-term knowledge of the internal combustion engine,” says Lars Stenqvist.