Volvo Announces First Ever 24-Hour Electric Truck Fleet

This week, Volvo delivered the first of its new, heavy duty line haul electric trucks to the Danish energy and engineering company Danfoss. These electric semi trucks will operate in fixed routes between Danfoss sites in Denmark, operating 24 hours a day, five days per week, without significant charging downtime.

The delivery of the first three of the Volvo heavy duty electric trucks is part of a larger partnership between Volvo Trucks and Danfoss that focuses on pioneering applications of sustainable electric transport operations. To that end, fully nine electric Volvo HD trucks are set to be in operation before 2024, transforming Danfoss’ fleet and reducing the company’s scope 1 and 2 emissions in Denmark by 10-15%, with the added benefit of minimal zero noise and air pollution, ensuring a drastically improved working climate for the trucks’ drivers and dock workers.

“The shift to electric vehicles is part of Danfoss’ commitment to become carbon neutral … by 2030,” says Torben Christensen, Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of Global Services, Danfoss. “With these new Volvo e-trucks, we add extra speed to the decarbonization of Danfoss’ operations. By transitioning our own fleet of transport vehicles to be fully electric, we want to demonstrate to our customers and other companies around the world that it’s challenging but not impossible to switch to electric transport vehicles and essential if you want to decarbonize your business.”

Smart Charging Makes it Possible

Charging a Volvo electric semi truck; courtesy Volvo Trucks, DHL.

Keeping Volvo’s electric semi trucks running on 24-hour shifts requires some smart infrastructure choices. To that end, Danfoss will operate the trucks on a relatively controlled route between the Danfoss sites in Denmark. These sites feature customized, high-speed chargers that can charge the truck’s batteries during offloading and on-loading at each stop. That usually takes around 15 minutes, according to Danfoss, and the opportunity charging there is enough to get the truck to its next stop.

The advanced charging technology and the relative shortness of the route allows the electric semi trucks to be continuously in service for 24 hours a day, up to five days per week, with a longer overnight charge only needed during weekends when there is no business need for the truck to be operational. Since Danfoss has signed Power Purchase Agreements for its sites in Denmark, a substantial part of the power will be sourced sustainably.

“This is a true testament that collaboration across the sectors is necessary but also opens for fantastic opportunities,” says Joakim Nilsson, Business Development Manager – Zero Emission, Volvo. “Danfoss is a supplier of critical components in the electrical trucks and it’s fantastic to see they are walking the talk and transforming their whole fleet to electric. We are so proud to have Danfoss as our partner and that we together take these so crucial steps towards zero emissions and show the world what can be done if you set your mind to it.”

Source | Images: Volvo, Danfoss.