Volvo’s electric trucks reach 80 million kilometres in five years

In News, Volvo3 MinutesBy NZ Trucking magazineJune 27, 2024

Volvo’s electric trucks have driven more than 80 million kilometres since Volvo launched its first electric truck models in 2019.

Volvo said the trucks have significantly reduced CO2 emissions.

New monitoring data for Volvo’s fleet of electric trucks reveal that they have driven more than 80 million kilometres in commercial traffic around the world since 2019. Covering the same distance with equivalent diesel-powered trucks would have consumed more than 25 million litres of diesel and tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by 68,000 tons.

“I am happy to see how transport companies are embracing the benefits of electric trucks in daily operations,” said Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks.

“The transport sector represents 7% of global carbon emissions and battery-electric trucks are an important tool to reduce the climate footprint. Thanks to many early adopters we can already now see the huge potential with this technology,” he said.

Growing electric presence globally

Volvo Trucks’ global deliveries of electric trucks increased by 256% to 1,977 trucks in 2023 and the company sees continued interest from customers in 2024. In Europe, more than half of the electric truck customers chose a Volvo during the first quarter of this year – Volvo’s share of the electric truck segment was 56%. In the United States, Volvo represented 44% of all sold electric trucks.

Volvo has so far delivered more than 3500 electric trucks to customers in 45 countries on six continents. During 2023, Volvo Trucks expanded its electric truck presence as it delivered its first heavy-duty electric trucks to Latin America, with vehicles going to customers in Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Volvo also became the first truck maker to deliver battery-electric heavy trucks in Morocco, South Korea, and Malaysia.

“Not only transport companies but also buyers of transport – and logistic services are signing up to SBTi – Science Based Target initiative – and are starting to demand sustainable transport solutions from their providers. This is yet another driver of the shift to electric trucks,” said Alm.

From 2019 until today, Volvo Trucks has gradually expanded its electric offering, which now includes eight fully electric trucks.

The Volvo electric truck models on offer are the Volvo FL Electric, FE Electric, FM Electric, FM Low Entry, FMX Electric, FH Electric, FH Aero Electric and the VNR Electric. The top seller is the Volvo FH Electric which recently was selected for the prestigious International Truck of the Year Award for 2024.