Image Credit: Volvo
Swedish truck company Volvo has unveiled the next generation of its FH Electric heavy-duty electric truck which will now boast an electric range of up to 600 kilometres, double that of its predecessor.
Volvo launched the first FH Electric in late 2020 as part of its first complete range of electric trucks. Sales began the next year, with volume production in 2022. The first FH Electric was sold in Australia in March of this year, after it made its official Australian debut in May of 2023 at the company’s Sustainability Summit in Brisbane.
Boasting a 540kWh battery pack and a range of up to 300 kilometres, the FH Electric subsequently completed Australia’s longest electric truck journey, travelling 1,185 kilometres from Brisbane to Canberra in around 19 hours, including necessary charging.
That necessary charging time is soon to be cut short, however, after Volvo announced this week the launch of its new FH Electric, which doubles the expected range of the truck.
Volvo credits the added range on its new driveline technology, the so-called e-axle, which allowed for increased battery capacity to be installed. More efficient batteries, an improved battery management system, and the overall efficiency of the powertrain also contribute to the extended range.
“Our new electric flagship will be a great complement to our wide range of electric trucks and enable zero-exhaust emission transport also for the longer distances,” said Roger Alm, President Volvo Trucks.
“It will be a great solution for transport companies with a high annual mileage on their trucks and with a strong commitment to reduce CO2.”
The new FH Electric joins a range of eight battery electric medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks in Volvo’s portfolio – a range which Volvo hopes allows for the complete electrification of city and regional distribution, construction, waste management, and long-distance transport.
“The transport sector represents seven percent of global carbon emissions,” said Alm.
“Battery-electric trucks are important tools to reduce the climate footprint. Besides the important environmental gains that electric trucks bring, they offer truck drivers a much better working environment, with much lower levels of noise and vibrations.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.
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This range of reucks sounds like the begining of the end for pilot projects and the begining of fuel efficient transport. I believe there is work underway for megacharge speed charge points on the Hume highway. Let us hope it is complete every 250km between Sydney and Melbourne first.
Then we may see the Melbourne / Brisbane route in 24 hours.
Looks like the new VOLVO model can stay in the fast lane going up hills - no crawling along in slow lane.
Melbourne to Brisbane in 24 hours? Including mandatory driver rest periods? What are we transporting, abalone?
Passenger trains currently make the journey in 26 hours.
We should be agitating for the removal of this sort of long haul, dangerous, road clogging transport. Not encouraging it.
A symptom of the abject failure of successive govts (and their supporters) to make railways the heart of transport in such a vast nation.
The money wasted on roads would have provided us with a first rate rail freight network. That opportunity has gone now. Shameful treatment of the most efficient transport system ever invented.
And all because a few people are too important to wait at a rail crossing.
Given trucking is currently one of the most unsafe industries based on driver crashes, forcing them to stop and charge periodically can only be a positive change from a safety standpoint. Combine this with the increase in driver safety tech built into the trucks and the advancement of braking and drivetrain technology, it's questionable why Unions aren't already pushing for fleet operators to transition to significantly safer electric trucks.
Hydrogen is fast running out of transport sectors to compete with BEV.
Keep this stuff coming!