Volvo Trucks has emerged as the world’s leading manufacturer of electric trucks, surpassing Tesla by a significant margin.
Based on a recent report by Carup, Volvo Trucks has sold more than 4,300 electric trucks globally in 38 countries, with a major market share of 32 percent in Europe and nearly half of all registered heavy-duty electric trucks in North America.
The reasons behind its present dominance might be found in a recent Volvo YouTube ad that documented the experience of Jesper, a truck driver who drives for Erikssons Åkeri AB. The family-owned company made history by being the first in the world to purchase one of Volvo’s first-ever series-produced electric trucks in late 2021.
The driver praised how “quiet” the truck was when compared to its diesel-powered counterparts and its reliable batteries. Today, the company owns three of these trucks for its regional distribution, which operates for around 12 hours per day.
“Since more and more of our customers have sustainability requirements, having these electric trucks in our fleet gives us a competitive advantage and makes us an early adopter in offering fossil fuel-free transport,” said Gunnar Eriksson, CEO at Erikssons Åkeri.
New Innovation
Currently, on top of its biogas-powered trucks, Volvo Trucks offers six battery-powered electric models for those looking to provide zero-exhaust emission transport. Volvo Group is also partnering with Daimler to develop fuel cell systems for heavy-duty vehicles.
Volvo Trucks’ fuel cell electric trucks, which produce their own electricity onboard using hydrogen and are ideal for longer transport assignments, have been tested for the first time on public roads above the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden. The location was chosen due to its “harsh conditions on public roads,” according to Helena Alsio, VP of powertrain product management at Volvo Trucks.
The trucks are powered by two fuel cells that can generate up to 300 kW of electric power and use green hydrogen from renewable energy sources. These trucks will be available in the second half of this decade.