Volvo introduces its first all-electric truck

Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer, Volvo, has announced its first all-electric truck, the Volvo FL Electric, for urban distribution and refuse operations, with sales and series production starting in Europe next year.



“We’re immensely proud to present the first in a range of fully electrically-powered Volvo trucks ready for regular traffic,” said Volvo Trucks President, Claes Nilsson. “With this model we are making it possible for cities that aim for sustainable urban development to benefit from the advantages of electrified truck transports.”

With better air quality and less noise in the city, it is possible to plan for housing and infrastructure more freely than at present, according to Volvo. An electric truck without any exhaust emissions can be used in indoor terminals and environmental zones and their low noise level provide opportunities for doing more work at night, thus reducing the burden on the roads during the day.

“In order to make the transition secure and smooth, we will offer holistic solutions based on each customer’s individual needs regarding driving cycles, load capacity, uptime, range and other parameters,” said Head of Product Strategy for Volvo FL and Volvo FE at Volvo Trucks, Jonas Odermalm. “Such a solution may encompass everything from route analysis and battery optimisation to servicing and financing. Volvo Trucks works closely with several suppliers of charging equipment. The aim as always is to offer customers high uptime and productivity.”

Backing the Volvo Trucks offer is the Volvo Group’s accumulated expertise in electrified transport solutions. Sister company, Volvo Buses, has sold more than 4,000 electrified buses since 2010. The technology used for propulsion and energy storage in the Volvo FL Electric has reportedly been thoroughly tried and tested from the outset and is supported by Volvo Trucks’ far-reaching network for sales, service and parts supply.

“From experience we know how important it is that cities, energy suppliers and vehicle manufacturers cooperate in order for large-scale electrification to become a reality,” said Odermalm. “With attractive incentives, agreed standards and a long-term strategy for urban planning and expansion of the charging infrastructure, the process can go much faster.”

Volvo Trucks said it is essential to take a holistic view of electrification of the transport sector to handle the ongoing challenges in areas such as electricity generation and batteries.

“For instance, in order to ensure that raw materials for the batteries are extracted in a responsible way, the Volvo Group works with the Drive Sustainably network, which has a special function that monitors this issue,” said Odermalm.

“The Volvo Group is also involved in various projects where batteries from heavy electric vehicles get a second lease of life, reused for energy storage. All the questions about handling of batteries have not yet been solved, but we are working actively both within the Group and together with other actors to drive development and create the necessary solutions,” he said.