Volvo Trucks, one of the world's leading manufacturers of heavy-duty trucks, has started serial production of electric trucks at its Ghent plant in Belgium. This marks a significant milestone in the company's journey towards zero-emission transport solutions. Here are some key facts and insights about Volvo Trucks' electric trucks and what they mean for the industry and the environment.
Why electric trucks?
Electric trucks offer several benefits over conventional diesel-powered trucks. They can reduce CO2 emissions, noise pollution, and air quality problems in urban areas. They can also lower operating costs, improve driver comfort, and increase productivity.
Volvo Trucks has been developing and testing electric trucks since 2018 when it introduced the Volvo FL Electric and Volvo FE Electric models for city distribution and refuse collection. Since then, the company has expanded its electric range to include the Volvo FH Electric, Volvo FM Electric, and Volvo FMX Electric for regional haulage and construction operations, as well as the Volvo VNR Electric for the North American market.
Volvo Trucks' electric trucks are designed to meet the diverse needs of different transport applications, with various axle configurations, cab options, battery capacities, and performance levels. They can handle gross combination weights of up to 44 tonnes (97,000 lbs) and offer a range of up to 300 km (186 miles) on a single charge.
How are electric trucks charged?
Volvo Trucks' electric trucks can be charged using either AC or DC power sources. AC charging is suitable for overnight charging at depots or terminals, while DC charging is faster and can be done at public stations or en route. The charging time depends on the battery size and the power output of the charger. For example, a truck with a 540 kWh battery pack can be fully charged in 9.5 hours using a 43 kW AC charger or in 2.5 hours using a 250 kW DC charger.
Volvo Trucks provides guidance and support to its customers on how to choose and install the best charging solution for their operations. The company also collaborates with charging infrastructure providers and authorities to promote the development of a comprehensive and accessible charging network across Europe and North America.
How are electric trucks serviced and maintained?
Volvo Trucks' electric trucks are covered by the Volvo Gold Service Contract, which includes preventive maintenance, repairs, roadside assistance, battery monitoring, and an uptime guarantee. The service contract also gives customers access to digital tools and services that can help them optimize their operations, such as route planning, fleet management, driver coaching, and environmental reporting.
Volvo Trucks' electric trucks are built on a proven and flexible platform that shares many components with its diesel counterparts. This means that they can be serviced and maintained by the same network of authorized Volvo workshops that have extensive experience and expertise in handling Volvo trucks. The workshops are also equipped with special tools and trained technicians to handle the high-voltage components of the electric driveline.
What are the challenges and opportunities of electric trucks?
Volvo Trucks acknowledges that electrification is not a one-size-fits-all solution for every transport application. There are still some challenges and limitations that need to be addressed, such as the availability and cost of batteries, the range and payload capacity of electric trucks, the infrastructure and regulations for charging, and the total cost of ownership compared to diesel trucks.
However, Volvo Trucks also sees many opportunities and advantages of electric trucks for its customers and society at large. By offering a complete range of electric trucks for different segments and markets, Volvo Trucks aims to help its customers achieve their sustainability goals and reduce their environmental impact. The company also believes that electric trucks can create new business opportunities and value propositions for its customers, such as lower energy consumption, higher operational efficiency, improved driver retention, enhanced brand image, and access to low-emission zones.
Volvo Trucks is committed to driving progress towards fossil-free transport solutions by offering a wide portfolio of alternative fuels and drivelines, including electric, gas-powered, hybrid, biodiesel, HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), biogas, DME (dimethyl ether), LNG (liquefied natural gas), CNG (compressed natural gas), BTL (biomass-to-liquid), ethanol, methanol, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Volvo Trucks' vision is that by 2040, all its vehicles will be fossil-free. To achieve this vision, the company has set an ambitious target to have at least 35% of its sales volume consist of electric vehicles by 2030.
Conclusion
Volvo Trucks is a pioneer and leader in the electrification of heavy-duty trucks. The company has started serial production of electric trucks at its Ghent plant in Belgium, offering a complete range of electric models for various transport applications. Electric trucks can reduce CO2 emissions, noise pollution, and air quality problems in urban areas. They can also lower operating costs, improve driver comfort, and increase productivity.
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