Sweden’s Volvo Trucks, a component of Volvo AB, has revealed that plans are now in the works to share electric vehicle battery tech across brands — which would mean that Mack Trucks (USA) and UD Trucks (Japan) could both end up utilizing the firm’s’ battery tech in the future.
This news comes shortly after Volvo Trucks announced that it would soon launch a commercial plug-in electric truck offering in Europe. Numerous other firms are of course now targeting the sector as well, though most haven’t committed to a set timeline. Check out our electric trucks overview for more info.
“We’re really striving to reuse a lot when it comes to expensive components, which are expensive when it comes to development and production costs … not only between the truck brands but also the bus brands and construction equipment,” commented Lars Stenqvist, the chief technology officer at Volvo Group Trucks Technology (in an interview with Reuters).
“The benefit of the group is that we can get high volumes when we re-use components across the group,” the Volvo Trucks exec continued.
The senior vice president of UD Trucks Technology, Douglas Nakano, commented as well: “Since we share technologies and platforms, it won’t be difficult for us to do this. … Technologically speaking, we are ready.”
Reuters provides more: “UD Trucks said it planned to launch an electric version of its Quon heavy-duty truck around 2020, after Volvo Trucks earlier this month announced it would launch lithium-ion battery powered, medium-duty trucks for deliveries and refuse collection in Europe in 2019.
“Daimler AG-owned Japanese rival Mitsubishi Fuso began selling an electric version of its Canter delivery trucks in Japan and the United States last year, expanding into Europe earlier this year, while Volkswagen AG’s truck division has said it plans to launch a medium-duty truck in North America by late 2019.”
In other words, change is coming to the medium- and heavy-duty truck sector. On that note, Tesla is of course planning to begin production of its Semi product in 2019.
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