Volvo CE’s new head of expertise Mats Sköldberg offers perception into the OEM’s course on electrification, different fuels and end-to-end decarbonization – in addition to recounting inspirational moments from his life and profession to date
Rising up on a cattle farm, little Mats Sköldberg was transfixed by the big tractors glistening and steaming within the shiny Scandinavian morning of his youth. Volvo at the moment was transferring away from its roots in constructing agricultural automobiles, however building machines have been a reasonably good second – and the Sköldberg farm was a stone’s throw from Eskilstuna, the place Volvo was, and nonetheless is, based mostly.
“Going by college, I used to be serious about product growth,” Sköldberg recollects. “I began as a mechanic within the hydraulic lab of what’s Volvo CE at the moment. After college, I returned as a hydraulic engineer, then grew to become a chief engineer. I used to say I wasn’t an awesome engineer, however the full machine and its purposes was the place I had my ardour.”
Sköldberg was answerable for wheel loader growth over a 12-year interval and oversaw the ground-up redesign course of which endowed Volvo CE’s E-Sequence machines with improved consolation, fuel-economy and productiveness. Following a decade in China (extra of that later), he returned to Eskilstuna because the OEM’s new head of expertise in September 2023.
“Being in Volvo CE my complete profession, I feel it’s fairly clear the place we’re aiming,” he says. “In fact, that journey considerations sustainable powertrain, electrification and sustainable fuels. There’s additionally how we use information and connectivity, not just for providers, but in addition internally to enhance our merchandise. Then there’s autonomy and operator help, serving to clients enhance their productiveness.”
Electrical leaders
Volvo CE’s place on electrification is one among market management. Since growing its first all-electric compact excavators and wheel loaders on the finish of the final decade, it has produced a succession of electrical machines, most lately the L90 and L120 wheel loaders and EWR150 excavator. But electrical machines at the moment account for less than a fraction of the 35% of whole gross sales Volvo CE aspires to.
“It’s low in share, however that’s the way it should begin,” says Sköldberg. “Getting machines out offers us one thing to construct on. As a result of merely making an electrical wheel loader isn’t sufficient. We now have to create an ecosystem round it, studying along with companions and clients within the course of.”
The Electrical Website venture in 2018 demonstrated the feasibility of zero-emissions building on a real-world web site project-managed by Sköldberg within the Metropolis of Gothenburg. It discovered that electrical machines matched the efficiency of diesel counterparts and created optimistic advantages for operators, while mapping the digital options, charging or cable-management infrastructure and enterprise circumstances wanted to assist them.
“It’s super-important to indicate this transformation is feasible,” says Sköldberg. “Demonstrations present a studying floor and create partnerships to provide the options and gear which imply it is sensible for patrons to spend money on electrification. Once we cooperate, we will speed up – and seeing so many corporations driving in the identical course makes me assured we are going to get there.”
Volvo CE makes use of lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (LMC), lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxides (NMC) or lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery applied sciences for various purposes. Whereas enhancements in battery energy and life are a good distance off matching these seen in pc processing energy over the previous 50 years (with Moore’s Regulation exhibiting a doubling each two years) advances are being made.
“Chemistries and packing expertise are evolving to enhance efficiency and cut back price,” says Sköldberg. “Should you take a two-year view, it isn’t game-changing, however over 5 or 10 years it might be. At this time, totally different chemistries are higher for various merchandise and purposes, however what these chemistries can be in 5 years’ time, we have to be taught and discover.”
“Merely making an electrical wheel loader isn’t sufficient. We now have to create an ecosystem round it”
Chinese language takeaways
After years growing wheel loaders, Sköldberg was given the chance to change into Volvo CE’s vice-president of expertise in China, which represents the world’s largest wheel loader market. His defining achievement was establishing the Jinan Expertise Centre in Shangdong Province, devoted to growing merchandise and elements for rising markets, which opened in 2014.
“Establishing an R&D centre was a once-in-a-lifetime alternative,” he says. “Initially, I deliberate to go for 2 years, which ended up being 10. Dwelling as a foreigner within the so-called expat bubble of Shanghai is sort of straightforward. Whenever you transfer overseas, you be taught so much about your self and see your individual nation in a distinct mild.”
Sköldberg additionally realized so much in regards to the Chinese language market, now amongst Volvo CE’s largest, the place it produces machines underneath each its Volvo and Shandong Lingong Building Equipment (SDLG) manufacturers. These insights ought to assist Volvo CE proceed adapting to
a market with totally different working requirements and fast growth cycles the place worth is paramount.
“In China, the tempo is totally different,” he says. “Environment friendly supply-chains and an urge for food for expertise imply you could come to market and replace merchandise extra rapidly. China is sweet at digitalization and battery expertise. Electrification is transferring rapidly there, with potential to leapfrog different markets.”
Studying in the true world
Volvo CE works carefully with municipalities just like the Metropolis of Hanover in Germany to assist their aspirations for zero-emissions transformation. For Sköldberg, this a two-way studying course of which includes understanding the wants and imaginative and prescient of cities as a lot as promoting them machines.
“Cities are vital, as a result of they usually take the primary steps in the direction of zero-emission options,” he says. “They’re additionally a buyer to our clients, so understanding their imaginative and prescient means we will be ready for his or her necessities.’
However does it concern Sköldberg in any respect {that a} interval of political turbulence in each Europe and the US might yield governance that’s much less forward-thinking on environmental questions?
“We are able to talk about the tempo, however transformation will occur as a result of it has to,” he replies. “It could be helpful if international locations might align with their goals and all act collectively. They most likely gained’t, however our course is constant, as a result of the query just isn’t if, however when. We foresee promoting diesel machines for some time but, however need the transformation to occur as quickly as attainable. For native municipalities, it nonetheless appears to be excessive on the agenda.”
Sköldberg joined Volvo in 1993 and, whereas the unbelievable procession of tractors which peopled his boyhood have lengthy since handed into reminiscence, he stays with the corporate at the moment. Such have been the alternatives to develop and journey and be taught and create that he by no means received spherical to leaving. Again the place he began in Eskilstuna, maybe he by no means will.
“No person stays that lengthy until an organization’s values actually resonate with one’s personal,” he says. “Our core values of security, sustainability and high quality sit comfortably with me. We belief and pay attention to one another – that open tradition has helped the corporate survive practically 200 years.”
This text was first printed within the August challenge of iVT Worldwide – https://markallen.mydigitalpublication.co.uk/publication/?m=63192&i=827328&p=1&pre=1&ver=html5
