Back in 2018, Volvo launched its first all-electric trucks. The FL Electric and FE Electric went on sale the following year, and now the company has announced that they will be joined by three more models to form a complete range of heavy-duty electric trucks.
Volvo Trucks is aiming to have its entire product range go fossil-free by 2040, selling battery-electric and fuel-cell vehicles instead (the company plans to have fuel-cell trucks go on sale by the second half of this decade). However, the company recognizes that transport companies will likely not make the change to greener vehicles overnight, and will probably have fleets using different fuels for a while yet. But Volvo is aiming to have electric vehicles ready to support the transition.
"To reduce the impact of transport on the climate, we need to make a swift transition from fossil fuels to alternatives such as electricity," said company president, Roger Alm. "But the conditions for making this shift, and consequently the pace of the transition, vary dramatically across different hauliers and markets, depending on many variables such as financial incentives, access to charging infrastructure and type of transport operations."
Three electric heavy-duty trucks are currently in testing, before going on sale in Europe from next year ahead of the start of volume production in 2022. Electric versions of the Volvo FH, FM and FMX will join the FL and FE to form a complete heavy-duty vehicle lineup running from 16 to 44 tonnes, with per charge ranges up to 300 km (186.4 mi) possible. This expansion will see Volvo's electric trucks rolling out for distribution, refuse, regional transport and urban construction applications.
In fact, just last month the company partnered with one of its customers to run a two-year pilot program to test the FM Electric and FMX Electric vehicles for use in the construction industry. The electric FM has been equipped with a mixer, while the e-FMX has been fitted with a hooklift. Both will be used in construction projects in and around Gothenburg.
"By rapidly increasing the number of heavy-duty electric trucks, we want to help our customers and transport buyers to achieve their ambitious sustainability goals," added Alm. "We're determined to continue driving our industry towards a sustainable future."
And even before the complete line of heavy-duty electric trucks finishes pre-sale testing, Volvo Trucks will make its VNR Electric regional transport truck available for purchase in the US from the beginning of December, 2020.
Source: Volvo Trucks
