Swedish multinational manufacturer Volvo Group has announced that its subsidiary, Volvo Trucks, will supply Swiss building solutions provider Holcim with a record-breaking 1,000 battery-electric trucks over the next seven years.
The initial delivery of the batch, which includes 130 trucks featuring the heavy electric models Volvo FH and Volvo FM, is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2023. The delivery will then continue throughout 2024.
Volvo mentioned in an email that it would establish the timeline for delivering the remaining trucks in collaboration with Holcim.
The initial shipment of trucks will be sent to various markets such as France, Germany, Switzerland and Britain. The objective is to distribute all 1,000 trucks across Holcim’s European operations.
Anticipating an increase in demand, Volvo Trucks has initiated the expansion of production at three manufacturing facilities in Sweden, France and the U.S. The company also plans to commence production at a new factory in Belgium during the third quarter of 2023.
Long-term Collaboration to Reduce CO2 Emissions
Chairman and CEO of Holcim, Jan Jenisch, noted the importance of comprehensive collaboration across the value chain to facilitate the transition towards net zero emissions.
He voiced his satisfaction in joining Volvo to significantly decrease carbon dioxide emissions in their European operations by leveraging electric vehicle fleets.
According to the executive, this collaborative effort has brought them closer to the company’s objective of ensuring that 30 percent of its heavy trucks achieve zero emissions by 2030.
By substituting 1,000 current Volvo FH diesel trucks with electric Volvo FHs powered by renewable electricity along a standard route, it would become possible to save up to 50,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
President and CEO of AB Volvo, Martin Lundstedt, also highlighted the significance of sustained teamwork and an unwavering dedication to significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The executive also said he was proud of the alliance with Holcim as well as the outstanding accomplishments they had made together.
The Volvo Group and Holcim actively participate in the Science Based Targets initiative, a platform promoting ambitious climate actions within the private sector. Both companies are also co-founders of the First Movers Coalition.