We are seeing the rise of the electric car in our roads today. With prices coming down slowly and battery charge time increasing, electric cars are looking a lot more attractive to more people. There are also states like California that are looking to get rid of all electric cars in a few decades. With all this going on with electric cars, it was only a matter of time for electric trucks to make a showing.
Leading the way to the electric truck invasion is Volvo Trucks which has announced it will introduce all-electric trucks to the North American market in 2020.
Volvo plans to introduce its electric trucks through a launch it will conduct through a partnership between Volvo Group, California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), and other industry leaders, the company announced. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) contributed US$44.8 million to the Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) project, which will involve 16 partners, including two fleets.
Of course, this move by Volvo is seen as an important step towards the ultimate goal of zero emissions. According to Claes Nilsson, president of Volvo Trucks, they are convinced that electrified truck transport will be a key driver of sustainable transports, and they are proud to contribute the Volvo Group’s expertise to this innovative public-private partnership.
Volvos FE Electric technology which is slated to be commercialized in Europe next year will be used to base the American version of these all electric trucks.
Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America is convinced that this project will provide invaluable experience and data and sees this as an excellent opportunity to show the end-to-end potential of the new electric technology.
Experts believe that projects like this will lead to even greater insights into the uses of electric technologies in many different industries.
