Volkswagen Truck & Bus accelerates towards the future
The Meteor Hybrid prototype offers a solution for long-distance road transport, while the Constellation 26.280 Biogas will be tested by customers starting in 2025. On the other hand, the new generation of e-Delivery enhances electrification efficiency in urban deliveries, and the Resende plant in Brazil will receive its first production supply with HVO.
In addition to presenting the new generation of trucks favored by customers in more than 30 countries, Volkswagen Truck & Bus confirms its commitment to developing sustainable transport solutions for all, with the support of its global engineering center based in Brazil. At the latest edition of Fenatran, the company showcased two new vehicles in an exclusive area dedicated to this theme: the Constellation 26.280 Biogas model and the Meteor Hybrid concept, alongside the new generation of the lightweight e-Delivery electric truck. The booth also featured the brand’s most comprehensive commercial portfolio and the latest aftersales and connectivity solutions, as well as various attractions for the general public, such as VW truck racing simulators and much more.
“Our Resende factory in Brazil will also contribute to this sustainable journey, adding 10% of green diesel HVO to the first supply of its products on the assembly line. As the sales leader in the Brazilian truck market, we take our position at the forefront to bring innovative concepts to the freight transport sector that can help guide the next generations of commercial vehicles,” says Roberto Cortes, President and CEO of Volkswagen Truck & Bus.
After presenting the Future Program in 2022, which promotes actions and leverages best practices for an even more sustainable legacy for future generations, this time the brand advances its studies towards decarbonization, one of its pillars in the ESG strategy, all with 100% Brazilian development. The highlight of this year is the unprecedented VW Meteor Hybrid truck prototype with an intelligent traction system, a concept developed in collaboration with Suspensys to study a solution for road transport that does not depend on specific charging infrastructure.
Equipped with a diesel engine and an electric auxiliary axle, this prototype can travel long distances without recharging. All of this is automatically calibrated through technologies integrated into the vehicle by VWTB, with the potential to reduce more than 90% of CO2e emissions when combined with the use of HVO. To further enhance efficiency, it also features an innovative aerodynamic package.
Another key product is the Constellation 26.280 powered by biogas, which will begin fleet trials with customers starting in 2025. The model has the largest range in its segment for gas-powered vehicles, with 240 cubic meters (or 960 liters) of storage capacity, and achieves the greatest environmental benefit when fueled by biogas, reducing CO2e emissions by up to 90%. This solution aligns with the high availability of this fuel in its primary application, waste collection.
The new generation of e-Delivery introduces engines with higher torque and greater payload capacity, as well as more connectivity in the cabin and solutions to reduce recharge times and facilitate its use in new applications. As the first manufacturer to develop and produce a 100% electric truck in Latin America, VW Truck & Bus is already making significant contributions: with vehicles in operation across the continent, more than 15,000 tons of CO2e emissions are avoided per year, compared to the same category of diesel vehicles.
And the efforts to decarbonize their vehicles don’t stop there. For the first time, each initial filling of the vehicles on the production line will be done with 10% green diesel, known as HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil). In this way, alongside the 14% biodiesel that already composes Brazil’s standard commercial diesel, the percentage of renewable fuel used in operations increases to 24%. By comparison, HVO reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared to pure fossil diesel, due to the full production and use cycle of the fuel.
