A Volvo FH Aero electric truck. (Volvo Group)
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Volvo Trucks plans to boost the range for one of its global battery-electric trucks to about 372 miles on a single charge, the Swedish original equipment manufacturer said Sept. 3.
The updated variant of the Volvo FH Electric — which currently has a maximum range of up to 300 miles — is set to launch in the second half of 2025 in Europe, Volvo said.
Configurations of the FH Electric available at present include 4×2, 6×2 and 6×4 tractors, with the 4×2 offering the longest range. The truck has a battery capacity of 360 kilowatt-hours to 540 kWh via four to six batteries, and offers four cab options.
Volvo said the longer-range model will help carriers keeps trucks on the road during the working day without having to recharge.
Breaking news! We will launch a long-range version of our Volvo FH Electric that will be able to run up to 600 km on one single charge.
Read more: https://t.co/yJX0WChqly #electrification #electrictrucksinreality #electrictrucks #sustainability #volvotrucks pic.twitter.com/78fixvwCO1
— Volvo Trucks (@VolvoTrucks) September 3, 2024
“Our new electric flagship will be a very good complement to our wide range of electric trucks and enable zero-emission transport even for really long distances. It will be a good solution for transport companies that have a high annual mileage on their trucks and a strong desire to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions,” said Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks.
The extended range is made possible by a new e-axle that creates significantly more battery space capacity, Volvo said. More efficient batteries, an improved battery management system and more efficient powertrain are among other included upgrades, Volvo said.
Volvo sells the cabover FE Electric in Europe and Asia and may deploy the new model to other continents, but the FE range is not sold in North America, a spokeswoman said in an email. The trucks would be built at Volvo plants in Tuve, Sweden, and Ghent, Belgium, she added.
In North America, Volvo has introduced battery-electric configurations of its VNR regional and flagship Class 8 VNL tractor. The company’s Volvo Trucks North America subsidiary provided a first glimpse of the upcoming VNL 440 Electric during a June media event. A pre-production model of a 42-inch midroof sleeper model was unveiled to reporters at Volvo’s customer center in Dublin, Va.
The redesigned VNL launched in January and is also set to serve as the platform for future hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen-injection internal combustion engines, the truck maker has said.
Orders for the VNL Electric are expected to open in the last couple of months of 2025 or at the start of 2026, VTNA Vice President of Strategy, Marketing and Brand Management Magnus Koeck told Transport Topics in June.
The updated variant of the Volvo FH Electri is set to launch in the second half of 2025 in Europe. (Volvo Group)
Batteries for the trucks will be supplied by manufacturing plants once owned by Proterra, Koeck told TT. Volvo Group bought battery manufacturer Proterra Power in November for $210 million after the energy company’s parent filed for bankruptcy in August.
VTNA’s current battery-electric range consists of five VNR Electric models: a 4×2 straight truck, a 6×4 straight truck, a 4×2 tractor, a 6×2 tractor and a 6×4 tractor. The range of the latter two configurations tops out at 275 miles.
Expansion of the Volvo product line, and that of sister company Mack Trucks, will be supported by the construction of a new manufacturing plant in Mexico, the company announced in April. Both Volvo and Mack are owned by Volvo Group.
Volvo said Aug. 23 the plant would be located in the city of Monterrey. The facility is expected to be operational in 2026. Volvo expects to spend around $700 million on its construction.
Monterrey’s proximity to the border with the United States and well-developed infrastructure to support sales to the southwest and west of the U.S., as well as to Mexico and Latin America, were key reasons behind the decision, the company said.
The 1.7 million-square-foot plant will join Mack’s Lehigh Valley Operations facility in Pennsylvania and VTNA’s New River Valley plant in Virginia as the broader company’s key manufacturing sites in North America.
Volvo Trucks North America initiated operations of Plant 2 at New River Valley in its entirety for the first time June 21, part of a $400 million revamp of the complex ahead of the launch of the redesigned VNL. New River Valley is also the home of the VNR Electric.
Volvo has delivered more than 3,800 electric trucks to customers in 46 countries around the world so far, but its ambitions are much larger. The company wants 50% of its sales to be electric by 2030 and customers to have zero-emission fleets by 2050.
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