Volvo is getting serious about electric vehicles.
But the automaker isn’t the only one getting into the game. So is the truck
manufacturer of the same name.
Despite the shared heritage, name, branding, and
even typeface, the two Volvos are no longer related. While Geely owns the
automaker, the truck manufacturer is its own company. The Volvo Group also
controls the Renault and Mack truck brands.
The commercial vehicle manufacturer has now
introduced the Volvo FL Electric. It’s designed for “urban distribution and
refuse operations, among other applications.” And it offers lower noise levels
and better air quality than conventionally powered trucks.
The FL is powered by an electric motor producing 185
kW (248 hp) and 425 Nm of torque. That’s backed up by between two
and six lithium-ion batteries (depending on requirements). They can supply
between 100 and 300 kWh for a range of up to 300 kilometers. The
truck can quick-charge in 1-2 hours via DC power, or charge up via AC power in
10 hours overnight.
While this is the first fully electric truck from
Volvo, it has offered hybrid trucks for some time already. And the bus division
has been producing people-moving EVs for eight years now. This won’t be the
last, either, as Volvo Trucks plans to offer a full range of battery-powered
models.
