Volvo Trucks South Africa is paving the way for sustainable transport with the introduction of its first extra-heavy electric trucks on local roads.
As a leader in the industry, the company is committed to providing eco-friendly solutions to meet the growing demand for sustainable transport.
The company’s first FM 4×2 truck-tractor has been put to the test, travelling from the company’s dealer in Durban to its facilities in Johannesburg, covering a 600km journey with only one stop for charging.
Eric Parry, Volvo Trucks SA’s sustainable solutions manager, was thrilled with the result, saying “we aimed to prove that an extra heavy electric truck like this can drive long distances. Even though we didn’t carry any payload, it still gave us a good indication of just what this truck is capable of.”
The full load on the first FM units will be 44 tonnes GCM, with a drive line that has 490kW of power and 2400Nm of torque. The company is set to introduce its complete extra-heavy electric truck range, including FH, FM, and FMX models in truck-tractor and rigid configurations, with axle combinations ranging from 4×2 to 8×4 models.
These trucks are designed to operate in a wide range of climates and environments, including higher altitudes and warmer conditions typically found in South Africa.
Despite the challenges of load shedding and infrastructure in South Africa, Sally Rutter, Volvo Trucks South Africa’s sales director, has been encouraged by the enthusiasm and opportunities for electromobility.
“A lot of customers are looking at setting up their own charging infrastructures to accommodate electromobility and their own sustainability goals,” she says.
These trucks can run meaningful kilometres in a day, and with proper planning and optimized charging setups, customers can extend their range and match their operations to it. Within regional operations, public charging is not really relevant for these types of fleets, and having control of their own charging will allow customers to fix their costs of energy.
Plans are afoot to present the first of these vehicles to a local customer, KDG Logistics, within the next two months, once all statutory procedures have been adhered to.
Volvo Trucks South Africa is excited about the future of electromobility in the region, and this is just the beginning.
By providing eco-friendly solutions to meet the growing demand for sustainable transport, Volvo Trucks is taking the lead in the industry and setting an example for others to follow.
