Swedish electric vehicle startup Volta has entered a partnership with Prodrive to produce an all-new, all-electric, pedestrian-friendly 16-tonne HGV. The pair aim to produce a driveable demonstrator vehicle by early summer 2020, before putting a fleet of field trial prototypes into production during 2021.

Volta’s aim is to produce a HGV which not only meets zero emissions requirements, but also keeps vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, safe. According to the London Mayor’s office, 23 percent of pedestrian and 58 percent of cyclist deaths in London involved a HGV, despite lorries comprising only four percent of the traffic in the city.

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As such, the firm’s pictured concept HGV places the driver centrally, with passenger seating to either side, which provide a 220-degree field of view. The conventional, high-mounted HGV wing mirrors have been replaced with rear-view cameras to eliminate blind spots and the driver sits low-down, at eye level with pedestrians.

The truck also uses bus-style folding doors on either side of the cabin, which Volta says minimises their intrusion on pedestrian space and allows the driver to easily access the lorry’s central driver’s seat.