Volvo Trucks will begin real-world testing of an all-electric transport solution for the construction industry in October. Two heavy-duty trucks will be delivered to customer Swerock to meet the growing demand for less noise and emissions – especially in sensitive urban areas.
Following the successful introduction of series-produced electric trucks for urban transport and municipal tasks, Volvo Trucks is now deploying two all-electric construction vehicles with charging solutions to be tested by customers in real-life conditions.
“Trucks in the construction segment typically require more power and durability than in many other segments, and electric vehicles are no exception,” – says Jonas Odermalm, Vice President Electromobility at Volvo Trucks. “Our commercial solutions need to meet the demands for high productivity and availability, while providing the emissions and noise reduction benefits offered by an all-electric powertrain. Field testing and collaboration with customers are important to the development process.”
As part of the testing, a Volvo FM electric truck built as a concrete mixer will deliver concrete to customers. In addition, a Volvo FMX electric truck equipped with a hook-lift device will be used in larger infrastructure projects.
The intention of the project is to assess the feasibility of using electric trucks to increase productivity while reducing the adverse impact on the climate. In addition to analyzing the performance of the vehicles themselves, the tests will also look at the entire electromobility system in order to find charging methods that ensure high productivity. The benefits of using electric vehicles in urban environments will be evaluated in terms of noise reduction and transportation safety and driver comfort.
“The value of this type of testing comes from the fact that it helps us better understand customer operations and the impact of electrification on the industry’s daily operations, driving cycles, payload, availability, range and other parameters – taking into account all the benefits of using quieter and cleaner transport,” – says Ebba Bergbom Wallin, electromobility manager at Volvo Trucks.
Testing the two electric trucks in real-world conditions will provide an opportunity to assess how they are being used and identify potential improvements required before wider operational use can be achieved.
“Together with Volvo Trucks, we are taking a big step towards climate-friendly transport. This will bring us much closer to future trucks that reduce emissions from fossil fuels. We already have 15 hybrid concrete mixers, and with this project we are testing vehicles that are completely powered by electricity,” – says Hans Orest, branch manager at Swerock, part of the PEAB group.
The facts: Volvo Trucks’ first customer electric test in the heavy-duty segment
The collaboration includes tests of two electric vehicles: Volvo FM with concrete mixer and Volvo FMX with hooklift.
The project is run jointly by Volvo Trucks and Swerock, with support from JOAB and Sarak.
The electric Volvo FM will deliver concrete to Swerock customers in urban areas.
The electric Volvo FMX with hooklift will be used primarily in larger infrastructure projects and urban construction.
Facts: Swerock
Swerock is one of Scandinavia’s largest suppliers of materials and services to the construction industry, with more than 360 quarries and 60 concrete plants. Swerock also recycles to demonstrate climate and environmental responsibility and to reduce the extraction of new materials. Swerock is part of the Peab Group, which has approximately 17,000 employees and net sales of SEK 56 billion.