The company, which is the only global truck manufacturer with a full range of electric trucks in series production today, is aiming to have electric trucks make up at least half of its global sales by 2030.

“Already producing the most complete electric line up in the global truck industry, we are now expanding our offering with the introduction of rigid versions of our extra heavy electric trucks: the Volvo FH, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX,” said Waldemar Christensen, MD of Volvo Trucks South Africa. “This makes it even easier for transport companies to make the move to electric vehicles in urban and regional areas.”

Thanks to multiple battery, cab and chassis options, the new extra heavy rigid trucks can be designed to carry electric superstructures for a wide range of specialised transport assignments, including goods distribution, refuse collection and construction work. Production of the new rigid variants will begin in the first quarter of 2023.

“Fleets can have these trucks custom-built for their specific operation to cut emissions while getting the same functionality as the diesel trucks they are using today,” explained Christensen. He added: “Our customers are already ordering electric vehicles that will suit their specific business needs, with the first local deliveries expected during the first quarter of 2023.

“These trucks can handle all kinds of transports, from lighter to heavy loads. Customers can choose the exact battery capacity they need for their assignments, and by not carrying more batteries onboard than needed, which increases the payload. In short, we have the optimal and most cost-efficient electric transport solution, no matter what the task is.

At this stage, customers are planning to erect their own charging stations at strategic points.

Volvo FH, FM and FMX electric rigids can be equipped as follows:

Released for sale in December 2022, global serial production to start March 2023:
Driveline: 490 kW
Drive unit: 3 electric motors

Battery: 450-540 kWh, 5-6 batteries
Cab: Sleeper, High, X-High sleeper cab

Wheelbase: 4300-6700

Axle Configurations: 4x2R, 6x2R, 6x4R, 8x2R, and 8x4R
PTO: Mechanical, Gearbox and Electro-Mechanical

Released for sale in February, global serial production to start May 2023:
Driveline: 330 kW

Drive unit: 2 electric motors

Battery: 360 kWh, 4 batteries

Cab: Day cab

Wheelbase: 3900-6700

Released for sale in June, global serial production to start September 2023:
Battery: 180-270 kWh, 2-3 batteries