Carriers in Europe will be able to order all-electric versions of Volvo’s heavy-duty trucks next year. This means that Volvo Trucks will offer a full range of heavy-duty trucks with an electric powertrain starting in 2021. (Europe). Volvo Trucks’ intensive electrification efforts are an important step forward on the road to transport using only non-fossil fuels.
Volvo Trucks is currently testing electric Volvo FH, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX heavy-duty trucks for use in regional transport and construction work in European cities. The maximum road set weight for these vehicles will be up to 44 tons. Depending on the battery configuration, the possible range will be up to 300 km. Sales will begin next year and mass production in 2022, meaning that a full range of Volvo Trucks electric (battery) trucks will be available in Europe from 2021 for distribution, regional transport, waste disposal and urban construction work.
“By rapidly increasing the number of electric heavy-duty trucks, we want to help our customers and transport buyers achieve our ambitious sustainability targets. We are determined to continuously steer our industry towards a sustainable future,” says Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks.
Volvo Trucks started production of the Volvo FL Electric and Volvo FE Electric in 2019. These are electric trucks designed for urban distribution and waste collection, mainly in Europe. In North America, sales of the Volvo VNR Electric, a truck for regional transport, will begin on December 3, 2020.
Gradual transition to alternative fuels of non-fossil origin
Electric vehicles for demanding operations and long-distance heavy haulage will emerge in the coming years. These will be longer-range trucks equipped with batteries and fuel cells. Volvo Trucks intends to start selling electric trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells in the second half of this decade. Volvo Trucks’ goal is to offer an entire range of products that do not use fossil fuels by 2040.
“To reduce the climate impact of transport, we need to move quickly from fossil fuels to alternatives such as electricity. However, the conditions for making this shift, and therefore its pace, vary widely across carriers and markets, as well as a number of variables such as financial incentives, access to charging infrastructure and the type of transport operation,” – Roger Alm explains.
For this reason, most transport companies will introduce electric vehicles gradually. In practice, many will have a mixed fleet of trucks running on different fuels during the transition period.
“Our chassis are designed to be independent of the powertrain used. Our customers can buy several Volvo trucks of the same model, the difference being that some are electric and others run on gas or diesel. When it comes to product features like the driver’s cab, reliability and safety, all of our vehicles meet the same high standards. Drivers should feel comfortable in their vehicles and be able to operate them safely and efficiently regardless of the fuel used,” – says Roger Alm.
For Volvo Trucks, the transition to more sustainable transport should be as smooth as possible for the carriers so that they can begin to adapt to the change. The solutions offered must use non-fossil fuels and enable carriers to achieve the necessary level of profitability and productivity.
“Our main task is to facilitate the transition to electrified vehicles. We do this by offering holistic solutions that include route planning, vehicles with the correct specifications, charging equipment, financing and service. The long-term security that we provide to our customers together with our global network of dealers and service workshops will be more important than ever,” says Roger Alm.