Auto CEOs more confident about industry prospects
The confidence of chief executives of automotive companies about the outlook for the new-vehicle market over the next six months has improved significantly.
- Industry News
- 11 September 2024
Volvo’s heavy electric truck, the Volvo FH Electric, has been selected as the International Truck of the Year 2024. In explaining their decision, the jury praised the electric truck’s performance, seamless acceleration, quietness and vibration-free behaviour.
“With the introduction of the FH Electric, Volvo Trucks has delivered a state-of-the-art battery-electric vehicle range, suitable for a wide range of transport operations. It's proof that the energy transition is gaining ground even in today's challenging business environment,” stated Gianenrico Griffini, Chairman, International Truck of the Year.
Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks, accepted the prestigious award during the prize-giving ceremony at the Solutrans Transport Exhibition in Lyon, France.
“I am so very proud of this recognition that our Volvo FH Electric has won this highly respected award. For the first time in history the transport industry has chosen an electric vehicle as Truck of the Year. The Volvo FH Electric represents a new era in trucking and winning this award clearly shows that the shift to zero emission transport is happening here and now,” Roger says.
“I sincerely want to thank everyone who has contributed to this success. It’s based on great teamwork with passion and dedication among our fantastic colleagues within the Volvo Group and close cooperation with our valued customers, partners and suppliers.”
This is the fourth time that Volvo’s iconic FH model has been named Truck of the Year. The Volvo FH is one of the industry's most successful models ever with nearly 1.4 million trucks sold all over the world.
The Volvo FH Electric can operate at a total of 44 tons. Production of the Volvo FH Electric started in 2022 in Volvo’s factory in Gothenburg, Sweden, and production in the factory in Ghent, Belgium, began in 2023.
Volvo Trucks’ complete electric range was introduced to the South African market in June this year.
BMW plans to launch its first-ever series production of fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) in 2028, thereby offering customers an additional all-electric powertrain option with zero local emissions in a BMW.
At the Automechanika CEO Breakfast, the continent and the approach and opportunities of New Energy Vehicles (NEV), specifically Electric Vehicles (EV) come under the spotlight and the spectrum of business opportunities that goes hand in hand with this.
Zero Carbon Charge signed a formal MOU with the Northern Cape Economic Development Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (NCEDA) to drive the roll-out of off-grid, ultra-fast EV-charging stations for the Northern Cape.