Volvo’s New FH Electric Truck Can Haul Up to 80 Tonnes

Volvo Trucks is pushing its electric truck programme into heavier territory with a new FH Electric designed for truck-and-trailer combinations weighing up to 80 tonnes.

The truck, announced on 14 September, is aimed at operators carrying heavy loads over regional and longer-distance routes. Volvo says the new configuration can travel up to 420 km on a single charge at 76 tonnes, while the range increases to 450 km at 64 tonnes.

Those figures are likely to get the attention of operators who have regarded electric trucks as more suitable for lighter urban and regional work.

80 tonnes doesn’t mean 80 tonnes of payload

There is an important distinction in Volvo’s announcement.

The 80-tonne figure is gross combination weight, meaning the total weight of the truck, trailer, cargo, driver and other equipment.

At 76 tonnes, Volvo quotes a range of up to 420 km. At 74 tonnes, the claimed range is also up to 420 km, while at 64 tonnes it rises to 450 km.

So this isn’t an electric truck that can carry an 80-tonne payload. It is an electric tractor combination designed to operate at a gross combination weight of up to 80 tonnes.

That distinction matters when comparing electric trucks with conventional diesel rigs.

Charging is where things get interesting

The FH Electric can be charged using either CCS2 or the newer Megawatt Charging System.

With an MCS charger rated at 680 kW, Volvo says the batteries can go from 20% to 80% in about 36 minutes.

Using a 360 kW CCS2 charger, the same 20% to 80% charge takes approximately 70 minutes.

The truck has 640 kWh of usable battery capacity, giving operators a sizeable battery pack without moving into the kind of charging times that could make electric long-haul operations impractical.

Built for more than smooth highways

Volvo is also fitting the new configuration with hub-reduction axles.

That may sound like a technical detail, but it is important for heavy transport applications where ground clearance, traction and startability matter.

Volvo specifically points to applications such as timber transport and lighter construction work.

The truck also gets an electric power take-off, or e-PTO, which can power equipment such as refrigeration units without requiring a separate diesel generator.

What about South Africa?

This is where the announcement becomes more interesting for us.

South African heavy-haul operators regularly work at weights that are considerably higher than those typically seen on European roads. But putting an electric truck into that environment isn’t simply a matter of having enough battery capacity.

Charging infrastructure, electricity availability, route planning, payload, terrain and downtime would all have to be considered.

A claimed 420 km at 76 tonnes sounds impressive, but the real question for an operator isn’t how far the truck can travel in ideal conditions.

It is how much work it can do between charges.

That is the test electric trucks will ultimately have to pass.

Volvo says sales of the new FH Electric configuration will initially begin in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland, with the rollout starting in early 2027.

For now, South African operators will have to watch from the sidelines.

But one thing is becoming increasingly clear: electric trucks are moving beyond the delivery truck and regional distribution market.

The next battle is going to be fought in the heavy-load lane.