Volvo Trucks in North America Demonstrate Electric Heavy Duty Trucks

At an exclusive event at the TEC Equipment dealership in Fontana, California, Volvo Trucks offered a first look at its North American Class 8 battery-electric project trucks. In Europe, Volvo Trucks recently started sales of electric trucks for urban transports and demonstrated electric concept trucks for construction operations and regional distribution. By utilizing existing electromobility technology within the Volvo Group, Volvo Trucks in North America has been able to integrate those technologies into the existing North American VNR model.

The pilot demonstration was part of the Volvo Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions (LIGHTS) project, a collaboration between 15 public and private partners to demonstrate the viability of all-electric freight hauling in high-density traffic and urban areas. Volvo Group contributed $36.7 million for the project total of $90 million, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District administers the grant and oversees the Volvo LIGHTS project.

“The Volvo LIGHTS project demonstrates that for the entire endeavor to come together, it takes more than just the truck. It’s the delivery of the complete eco-system for zero-emission, heavy-duty transport, and taking responsibility for that ecosystem,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America. “You can only achieve this by having a common goal, fully integrated collaboration amongst all stakeholders, and agreeing to be pioneers together.”

The Volvo VNR Electric project trucks will be put into real-world commercial operations with two of California’s leading freight companies, Dependable Supply Chain Services and NFI. In North America, the Volvo VNR Electric will become the ideal truck model for short- and regional-haul applications like heavy urban distribution, drayage and other applications where electric trucks will first have the greatest impact.

Volvo Trucks in North America will begin the first phase of serial production and commercial offering of the Volvo VNR Electric in late 2020.