Volvo delivers first fully electric trucks in Europe

Volvo Trucks has started delivering its first all-electric trucks. These include a garbage truck for the waste and recycling company Renova in Hamburg, Germany and a distribution truck for the Swedish Schenker service provider TGM.

The electric trucks are part of a pilot series developed in cooperation with select customers. Series production of the Volvo FL Electric and Volvo FE Electric models will officially start in the second half of 2019, with a limited number of vehicles reserved for the European markets.

The Volvo FL Electric is designed for urban delivery traffic and municipal services such as waste management. The electric machine has a maximum output of 185 kW and a continuous output of 130 kW. The 16-ton electric motor is supplied with energy from two to up to six lithium-ion battery packages of 50 kWh each. Capacities of 100 to 300 kWh are thus possible. This should enable ranges of 100 to 300 kilometres. The AC charging process with up to 22 kW takes around 13 hours for the 300 kWh battery. In addition, the battery packs can also be recharged in one to two hours using DC rapid charging with up to 150 kW via CCS.

The Volvo FE Electric, on the other hand, is a 27-tonne truck. It is driven by two electric motors with 370 kW maximum power and 260 kW continuous power. Battery capacities of 200 to 300 kWh are possible for this electric truck. The range should be up to 200 kilometres. Here, too, AC charging with up to 22 kW or DC charging with up to 150 kW is possible.

After the launch in Europe, Volvo Trucks is aiming to bring the electric trucks to the United States. The last announcement set 2020 for when the first e-truck will become available in North America as an all-electric version of the Volvo VNR. The electric truck will be powered by the drive of the FE Electric reportedly.

carscoops.com, volvotrucks.com

Additional reporting by Nora Manthey.