Truck & Trailer Section

Photo courtesy of U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Hardy Brothers Trucking Company will transport the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from the National Forests in North Carolina to Washington, D.C., in a Kenworth T680 Next Generation.

A Kenworth T680 Next Generation will transport the 2022 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from the National Forests in North Carolina to Washington, D.C., with stops en route to a full slate of community celebrations.

This year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree — a 78-ft. tall Red Spruce — is scheduled to be harvested Nov. 2 from the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. The tour theme is “From the Mountains to the Sea.”

Hardy Brothers Trucking was chosen to transport the tree. Founded in 1965, the Siloam, N.C.-based company has more than 100 dedicated drivers and 55 Kenworth trucks — including 11 T680 Next Generation models — pulling refrigerated trailers and hauling freight from coast to coast.

“We’re honored to receive this special opportunity to carry the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree on its journey to Washington, D.C.,” said Eddie Hardy, the company’s president.

The Hardy Brothers Trucking husband-and-wife driver team of Harold “Ed” Kingdon Jr. and Deborah Z. Kingdon was selected by the company for the honor of transporting the special tree. They will use a Kenworth T680 Next Gen equipped with a 76-in. mid-roof sleeper and the PACCAR Powertrain.

The T680 Next Gen also provides drivers with the latest Kenworth SmartWheel, customizable 15-in. digital display, fully LED lighting down the road, additional advanced driver assistance systems, and a comfortable cab and sleeper.

The public community celebrations begin Nov. 5. The official tree lighting ceremony on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol building is scheduled for Nov. 30. Smaller companion trees also will be provided to decorate offices inside of the U.S. Capitol building and other sites throughout Washington, D.C., along with handmade ornaments created by North Carolinians.

“Kenworth is proud to play a key role in helping deliver the ‘People’s Tree’ to Washington, D.C., for the ninth consecutive year,” said Genevieve Bekkerus, Kenworth director of marketing.

“The tour offers numerous opportunities to see this national symbol of celebration out on the highway or at the community events, and the Kenworth T680 Next Gen is the right truck for this important undertaking.”

The Kenworth T680 Next Gen was assembled by the employees at the Kenworth manufacturing plant in Chillicothe, Ohio.

“This annual journey is only possible with the help of strong community partnerships throughout North Carolina and beyond state lines,” said Bruce Ward, president of Choose Outdoors, the non-profit partner that supports the USDA Forest Service on the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree initiative. “We’re grateful for the time and resources provided by Kenworth and Hardy Brothers Trucking. We look forward to a great tour.”

Below is the 2022 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour public schedule: • Nov. 5: Western North Carolina Agricultural Center,

Fletcher, N.C. • Nov. 6: Cherokee County Courthouse, Murphy, N.C. • Nov. 6: Oconaluftee Island Park Event Site, Cherokee,

N.C. • Nov. 7: Pisgah Forest Ranger Station & Visitor Center,

Pisgah Forest, N.C. • Nov. 7: Marion Main Street, Marion, N.C. • Nov. 8: Avery County Cooperative Extension Center,

Newland, N.C. • Nov. 8: Watauga High School, Boone, N.C. • Nov. 8: Downtown Newton, Newton, N.C. • Nov. 9: Veteran’s Memorial Park, Mount Airy, N.C. • Nov. 9: Troy Town Hall, Troy, N.C. • Nov. 10: North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, N.C. • Nov. 11: North Carolina Veteran’s Home, Kinston, N.C. • Nov. 12: Union Point Park, New Bern, N.C. • Nov. 13: Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Manteo,

N.C. • Nov. 14: Suffolk Visitors Center, Suffolk, Va. • Nov. 18: Delivery to West Lawn, U.S. Capitol Building,

Washington, D.C. • Nov. 30: Tree Lighting Ceremony, Washington, D.C.

For more information, visit the 2022 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree website at www.uscapitolchristmastree.com. 

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Volvo to Begin Customer Testing Fuel Cell Trucks in 2025

Volvo Trucks are running tests of fuel cell electric trucks that only emit water vapor and have an operational range comparable to diesel trucks, up to 1,000 km. A second pilot phase is to follow in a few years’ time and will see customer tests on public roads.

The testing of fuel cell electric trucks in commercial traffic will start in 2025 with selected customers in northern Europe, followed by additional trucks in more countries over the coming years.

Hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric trucks will be especially suitable for long distance and heavy, energydemanding assignments. They also could be an option in countries where battery charging possibilities are limited.

“I believe that the pilot tests will highlight the potential for fuel cell electric trucks. The tests will run in a demanding, harsh climate and it also give us a great opportunity for driving with heavy loads up 65 ton,” said Jessica Sandström, SvP global product management at Volvo Trucks.

The goal of the pilot tests will be to look at all different aspects of the truck’s operation including working components, handling and driver experience.

A fuel cell generates its own electricity from the hydrogen onboard instead of being charged from an external source. The only biproduct emitted is water vapor. Volvo’s electric trucks will use two fuel cells with a capacity to generate 300 kW of power and will have a refuel time of less than 15 minutes.

Fuel cell technology is still in an early phase of development and while there are many benefits there remains some challenges, not least the large-scale supply of green hydrogen and need to develop fueling infrastructure. (Green hydrogen is produced by using renewable energy sources, such as wind, water and sun.)

To overcome the lack of available hydrogen when running the pilots, the filling of green hydrogen from renewable sources will be done at the home-depot.

“We expect the supply of green hydrogen to increase significantly during the next cou-

ple of years, since many industries will depend on it to reduce CO2. The fuel cell trucks will be important for longer and heavier transportations in a few years from now,” said Sandström. The fuel cells will be supplied by Cellcentric — the joint venture between the Volvo Group and Daimler Truck AG. Cellcentric will build one of Europe’s largest series production facilities for fuel-cells, especially developed for heavy vehicles.  The testing of fuel cell electric trucks in commercial traffic will start in 2025 with selected customers in northern Europe, followed by additional trucks in more countries over the coming years.