The Tesla semi is
about to face some tough competition as Volvo Trucks has announced its new VNR
Electric will be launched in North America in 2020. Based on the Volvo VNR, the
electric variant is being billed as a regional hauler that is cleaner and
quieter than traditional diesel-powered semis.
Volvo didn’t say
much about the semi, but it follows in the footsteps of the standard model. However,
it has a handful of unique features including an illuminated grille and more
aerodynamic bodywork. Speaking of the latter, the truck eschews side-mounted
fuel tanks for flat panels which presumably cover the battery pack.
While commercial
sales won’t begin until 2020, Volvo Trucks will introduce several demonstration
units next year. The company is staying tight-lipped on specifics, but said the
demonstration units will use an electric powertrain that is based on the
“proven propulsion and energy storage technology currently being used in the
Volvo FE Electric.”
The FE Electric
will go on sale in Europe next year and it has been designed for city
distribution and garbage transport operations. While trash haulers aren’t very
exciting, the FE Electric has a 200–300 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which
powers two electric motors that develop up to 496 hp and 850 Nm of torque.
This setup enables
the FE Electric to travel up to 200 km on a single charge. When the
battery is depleted, it can be recharged in as little as 1.5 hours with a 150
kW CCS2 charger.
