Volvo Trucks has begun serial production of its heavy battery electric trucks at its manufacturing facility in Ghent, Belgium. The facility is the fourth to construct the vehicles, alongside two European factories and one in the USA.
Three electric trucks will be built in Ghent – the Volvo FH, the Volvo FM and the Volvo FMX Electric. Each can be customized to suit a range of different requirements and can operate at a total weight of 44 metric tons.
The Ghent factory has an estimated annual production capacity of 45,000 trucks; the electric trucks will be assembled on the same platform and line as their diesel and petrol equivalents. The battery packs come from the OEM’s recently opened battery assembly plant in Ghent located next to the production line.
To date, Volvo Trucks has received orders for approximately 6,000 electric trucks in 42 countries.
“Just a few years ago, many thought it was impossible to electrify heavy truck transport,” said Roger Alm, president, Volvo Trucks. “But we decided early on that electrification is our main path to zero emissions. Now we can offer an industry-leading range of purpose-built electric trucks, in commercial operation all around the world.
“However, for the big electric shift to happen, governments need to act now and offer incentive programs for those who invest in the new technology, increase capacity in the power grid and also introduce CO2 taxes, to make sustainable transport more competitive.”
