Volvo launches complete program of electric trucks
- Electric vehicles for heavy-duty long-haul transports will commence sales this coming decade
In connection with a capital markets day in early November, Volvo Trucks announced that European road carriers will be able to order fully electric heavy-duty trucks already next year. The company’s massive effort in electrification will be crucial towards fossil free transports. I am delighted that Volvo Trucks has decided to drive the development of our business towards a sustainable future.
Tests of the electric versions of the heavy-duty trucks Volvo FH, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX are being executed at the moment. The electric trucks are intended for use in Europe for regional transports and for construction transportation in urban environments. The trucks will have batteries with a range up to 300 km depending on configuration.
The sales will commence during 2021 and volume production will start in 2022. This means that Volvo Trucks in Europe will offer a complete program of battery powered electric trucks for distribution, waste collection, regional transports and construction transports in urban environments.
During the capital markets day, Volvo also announced that the company in this coming decade will launch electric vehicles for heavy-duty long-haul transports. The fleet will consist of battery powered as well as fuel cell electric trucks with longer ranges. Volvo Trucks goal is to start manufacturing electrically powered hydrogen fuel cell trucks during the second half of the 2020’s. The company is working towards the goal that the entire product line shall be fossil free by 2040.
- We have to make a fast transition from fossil fuels to alternatives like electricity to reduce the transports’ impact on the climate. The terms for realization, and thus also the adjustment time, varies greatly between different transportation companies and markets. A variety of different variables are taken into account, such as financial incentives, access to charging infrastructure and the specific type of transport business, said Volvo Trucks’ CEO Roger Alm.
NTEX is one of several companies preparing for a gradual transition to electric drive. Many companies will have a mixed fleet with different fuels during a transition period. Our goal is naturally to use fossil free vehicles as soon as possible.
Thomas Ström