Volvo Electric Trucks Australia

Electric trucks are quickly gaining popularity with Australian business owners, and it's not hard to see why. In this blog post, we take a closer look at Volvo FL Electric trucks and how the company is paving the way.

What is the Volvo electric truck?

The Volvo FL Electric truck is a state-of-the-art vehicle that utilises advanced electric technology to provide superior performance and efficiency. This truck is perfect for eco-conscious businesses that need to reduce their carbon footprint, as it minimises CO2, noise and air pollution.

It’s an incredibly versatile machine that can handle a variety of tasks with ease, making it perfect for everyday working life, regardless of the cargo it's used to transport. Thanks to its advanced design, the Volvo electric truck comes with long operational life and requires very little maintenance, making it a cost-effective choice for businesses.

To date, up to 75 of the all-new Volvo FL all-electric trucks have been delivered worldwide, as they silently pave the way to the future, fascinating truckies everywhere with their sleek style and zero emissions.

Features of the Volvo electric truck

When the Volvo electric truck was first unveiled back in 2019 the company made sure to highlight some key features that are bound to impress Aussie business owners, including:

• The ability to switch between manual and automatic mode, making it easy for anyone to drive.
• A durable design that can handle rough terrain, dusty conditions and high temperatures.
• A long battery life that allows the truck to travel up to 400km on a single charge.
• The ability to recharge quickly when braking and travelling downhill.

For Australian businesses looking to improve their carbon footprint with environmentally friendly logistics solutions, the biggest concern is how electric vehicles are going to adapt to the terrain and the heat. It's no secret that we have some of the toughest conditions in the world. This, coupled with the misconception that electric vehicles are rather delicate, doesn't fill many with confidence. However, Volvo has responded to this by producing a ruggedly dependable electric truck that can handle such scenarios.

The availability of the Volvo FL in Australia

The first Volvo electric truck to hit Australia was in January 2021.

As of March 2022, the first Volvo electric truck to be run in Australia had completed 6000 kilometres and over 5200 kilowatt-hours transporting Victoria Beer with haulage company Linfox. The second of the Volvo FL Electric trucks to be run in Australia via Linfox is a refrigerated electric vehicle (EV) that has been distributing fresh goods to Woolworths stores across Melbourne.

While the two Volvo FL Electric vehicles supplied to the Linfox fleet were imported from Sweden, Volvo Australia is working to roll-out production of these vehicles at its manufacturing facility in Wacol, QLD.

Although no dates have been confirmed as yet, this move is in response to the increasing demand for electric trucks across the country and Volvo's own aim of creating fossil-fuel-free new trucks by 2040. It's hoped that Volvo Group Australia will begin commercial sales for the FL Electric this year for businesses who want to get on board the green movement.

Who else is offering electric trucks?

With the cost of producing, buying and running electric vehicles steadily declining and many governments offering subsidies, it's no surprise that more businesses are looking to introduce electric trucks to their fleets. Several manufacturers, including Janus and SEA, have already entered the market to offer some great alternatives to the Volvo FL Electric.

In March 2021, it was announced that Melbourne-based SEA Electric launched its first electric trucks in Australia: the SEA 300 and SEA 500.

Janus has also unveiled its first battery-powered mover, the Janus Conversion Model, powered by two 620kWh batteries. It plans to convert old diesel long-haul models into electric and open up charging stations along the eastern seaboard.

Whilst plans to scale up commercial sales of the Volvo FL Electric and roll out production in Queensland are still in the pipeline, the future certainly looks bright for electric logistics solutions in Australia.