Volvo tests heavy-duty electric truck

4th January 2022

Volvo Car

Tom Anstee

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A independent energy efficiency test with a fully loaded heavy-duty electric Volvo truck has been done in Germany. The electric truck exceeded its official range and used 50% less energy than its diesel counterpart.

The tested truck was a Volvo FH Electric, a zero-exhaust emission vehicle with 490 kW of continuous power and a gross combination weight of 40 tonnes. The German trucking journalist Jan Burgdorf tested the truck on the Green Truck Route, a 343 km long route that includes a variety of motorways, hilly terrains, and tighter roads that is used for testing different manufacturer's trucks in a wide range of conditions.

“I have to say, when driving this truck it is as agile, or even more agile, than a diesel truck. Drivers will be very surprised about how easy it is to drive, how quiet it is and how well it responds. There are no vibrations whatsoever,” says Jan Burgdorf.

The Volvo FH Electric kept an average speed of 80 km/h over the whole route, which was on par with the Volvo FH with a diesel engine equipped with a diesel engine and the fuel efficiency package I-Save. Based on the energy consumption of only 1.1 kWh/km, the electric truck had a total range of 345 km on one charge.

“These test results show that it is possible to drive up to 500 km during a regular work-day, with a short stop for charging, for example during lunch time,” explains Tobias Bergman, Press Test Director at Volvo Trucks.

In the Green Truck Route tests, the Volvo FH Electric used 50% less energy than a Volvo FH with a comparable diesel engine.

“The electric driveline is very efficient, making the all-electric truck a very powerful tool for reducing CO2 emissions,” comments Tobias Bergman.

Volvo Trucks goal is that electric vehicles will account for half of its truck sales in 2030 and in 2040, 100% well-to-wheel based CO2-reduction for new trucks sold.

“We are committed to the Paris Agreement on climate change. Science-based targets have been set and we are taking action to fast-forward the development to dramatically lower CO₂ emissions related to on-road freight transports. I believe that the broad electric range we already have on the market is very clear proof of that,” concludes Tobias Bergman.