Volvo launches all-electric medium-duty truck range in Australia

Volvo Trucks Australia has opened sales for its entire range of all-electric medium-duty trucks for local transport operators, including the new Volvo FL and FE Electrics.

Photo: https://ibb.co/b1t7F2S

Volvo Trucks, the world’s second-largest manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks, has been rolling out its all-electric medium- and heavy-duty around the globe over the past two years.

Now, after a handful of tests and partnerships with local operators, Volvo Trucks Australia has finally officially launched its medium-duty all-electric trucks in Australia.

The new Volvo FL and FE Electric medium-duty range offer gross vehicle mass (GVM) applications ranging from 16,000kg to 26,000kg and a range of wheelbases and battery pack options.

Wheelbases for the FL range from 3,800mm to 5,000mm as a 4×2, while the FE offers wheelbases from 3,900mm to 6,100mm in both 4×2 and 6×2 tag axle.

Similarly, battery packs can be configured to suit a wide array of applications with a choice of three or four battery packs on offer, offering 265kWh capacity on both the FL and FE Electric with four battery packs, and 200kWh with three.

The FL Electric is built on a single motor driveline providing 135kW of continuous power with 425Nm of torque via a 2-speed automated transmission.

The FE Electric, on the other hand, while sharing the same battery configuration as the lighter capacity FL, nevertheless utilises a dual-motor driveline delivering 225kW and 850Nm of torque on a 2-speed automated transmission.

For both trucks, operational range is rated at up to 300 kilometres, depending on battery configuration and application. Charge time for both vehicles varies from 9 hours on AC to only 2 hours on DC via a Type 2 or CCS2 charging port.

And, as an additional option, a factory fitted electric power take-off (PTO) unit is available for both the FL and FE Electric.

“When we delivered our first two electric trucks to customers for trials last year, we said this that this was just the start of our Australian electro-mobility journey,” said Paul Illmer, vice president for emerging technology at Volvo group Australia.

“That journey is now gathering pace as we offer a viable, safe and productive range of zero emissions medium duty trucks for the first time locally.”

First unveiled back in the first half of 2019 as part of a pre-series developed in collaboration with selected customers and then opened for sale in select European markets by the end of 2019, Volvo Trucks delivered an FL Electric to Australia in early 2021 for trials and evaluation with Australian logistics and supply chain company Linfox.

Just over a year later, the Volvo FL Electric was given the thumbs up by Linfox driver Rob Smith, who drove the FL Electric for over seven months and covered 6,000 kilometres.

Earlier this year Volvo Group also announced that it had completed a multi-faceted testing program of its FL Electric to see how fast charging and Australia’s extreme heat can affect the truck’s range, battery charging, and vehicle performance.

“Customer demand for electric transport options is fast becoming a tsunami, and with the arrival of our medium duty electric range we are now well placed to ride that wave of demand,” said Illmer.