Volvo starts road tests of pre-production FL Electric trucks

The electric trucks are coming. After Mercedes, MAN and Tesla Volvo has now announced the mass production of a battery-powered truck.

Clean, quiet, low-maintenance: the transportation industry would benefit greatly from the using of the electric trucks. Volvo Trucks has now launched its first power-driven model for road tests. The mass production is scheduled to start in 2019.

The Volvo FL Electric with a total weight of 16 tons is primarily intended for use in cities - for example as a garbage truck or as a distribution vehicle. The drive is an electric motor with 185 kW / 250 hp, which is powered by two to six batteries, each with a capacity of 50 kWh. The possible ranges are between 100 and 300 kilometers. The truck can quick-charge in 1-2 hours via DC power, or charge up via AC power in 10 hours overnight. The technology comes to a large extent from the electric buses of the brand.

“We’re immensely proud to present the first in a range of fully electrically-powered Volvo trucks ready for regular traffic,” said Volvo Trucks president Claes Nilsson. “With this model we are making it possible for cities that aim for sustainable urban development to benefit from the advantages of electrified truck transports.”