Volvo Trucks strives for fossil-free commercial truck lineup

NASHVILLE—Volvo Trucks is on a mission globally to offer a fossil-free commercial truck lineup by 2040 and is striving for a 50% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. 

To emphasize some of these sustainability efforts and truck evolution over time, Volvo Trucks North America featured the VNR Electric, the 25th anniversary VNL 760, and an original Volvo VN truck from 1996 in its booth during American Trucking Associations’ 2021 Management Conference & Exhibition (MCE).

The Volvo VNR Electric is Volvo Trucks’ first commercially available battery-electric Class 8 vehicle, manufactured at the New River Valley assembly facility in Dublin, Virginia. The VNR is equipped with a driveline rated at 455 hp, generating up to 4,051 lb.-ft. of torque. With a 264-kWh battery capacity, the Volvo VNR Electric also can support an operating range of up to 150 miles based on the truck’s configuration. Additionally, it has the ability to recharge to an 80% level of battery energy within 70 minutes.

The 25th anniversary Volvo VNL 760 is equipped with Volvo’s D13 Turbo Compound (D13TC) engine—now standard on all Volvo VNL models. “We have been working very hard to make sure that our diesel products are making an environmental impact as well,” Peter Voorhoeve, VTNA president, said during a press conference at MCE. “We have a next version of turbo compounding engine that is available for a large array of applications. It is so much better on fuel and the environment. We took the bold decision a year ago to make turbo compounding standard on all the VNLs.”

Looking at its own carbon footprint, Volvo Trucks' New River Valley manufacturing facility in Dublin, Virginia, is fully powered by locally produced, renewable electricity and is landfill-free, Voorhoeve pointed out.

New VNR Electric fleet partners

Producers Dairy, a Central California-based dairy processor and direct-to-store supplier, has placed an order for two Volvo VNR Electric trucks—anticipated to be the first commercial battery-electric Class 8 trucks to be deployed in California’s Central Valley. In late 2021, these zero tailpipe emission VNR Electric models from Volvo Trucks North America will begin to service Producers Dairy’s fleet routes from its Fresno manufacturing facility to grocery stores in communities along the 40-mile stretch of Highway 99 from Selma to Madera, California.

“This collaboration with our dealership partner, Affinity Truck Center, to support Producers Dairy is a perfect example of how companies who have very clear sustainability agendas can make meaningful progress on the path toward widescale commercial deployment of Volvo VNR Electrics and pave the way for decarbonized transport solutions,” Voorhoeve said.

Producers Dairy is a third-generation family business run by the Shehadey family. The two Volvo VNR Electric units will be the first battery-electric vehicles in the company’s fleet of more than 300 trucks, allowing them to add zero tailpipe emissions delivery to their list of efforts to improve the sustainability of their entire operations. To support the charging of its battery-electric fleet, Producers Dairy has installed two 150 kW DC fast chargers at its Fresno dairy processing facility with the ability to upgrade for future capacity.

Incorporating maintenance, full coverage on components, towing,  and uptime services, the Volvo Gold Contract offered with the Volvo VNR Electric is the first service contract of its kind from Volvo Trucks North America. To fulfill the Volvo Gold Contract and support Producers Dairy and other local fleet operators in maximizing uptime for their Volvo VNR Electrics, Affinity Truck Center’s Fresno dealership is working toward becoming the first Volvo EV Certified Dealer in the Central Valley.

To perform battery-electric truck maintenance and repairs, Affinity Truck Center’s service team is participating in training, while the sales team is preparing to consult regional fleets that are considering investing in the Volvo VNR Electric for local and regional distribution, pickup and delivery, and food and beverage distribution. The dealership also is working to install heavy-duty-capable charging infrastructure onsite.

In addition to Producers Dairy, Watsontown Trucking Co. and Camrett Logistics have placed orders for their first Volvo VNR Electric trucks. By the end of 2021, the Virginia-based fleets will utilize the zero tailpipe emission trucks to transport inbound parts and components daily to the Volvo Trucks New River Valley plant, where every Volvo truck in North America is assembled. The Volvo VNR Electric model entered serial production at NRV earlier this year.

The two Volvo VNR Electric models ordered through this initiative, which was first announced in August 2021, will be the first battery-electric trucks deployed in each company’s fleet. The trucks will complete 10 to 12 roundtrips per day as they travel from their local warehouse facilities to NRV. The Volvo VNR Electric’s 264-kWh lithium-ion batteries have an operating range of up to 150 miles. Regenerative braking can increase range by returning up to 15% of the power back to the battery, depending on the duty cycle. Both fleets will recharge their Volvo VNR Electrics at their local facilities.

Watsontown Trucking Co. operates a fleet of 425 trucks that perform over-the-road transport, as well as regional haul and last-mile delivery.

Camrett Logistics operates a fleet of 18 Volvo trucks, and the Volvo VNR Electric will be the company’s first battery-electric truck. By operating their Volvo VNR Electric on short-haul runs to and from NRV, both Camrett Logistics and Volvo Trucks will have the opportunity to gather real-world data that can assist with the ongoing expansion of zero-emission logistics nationwide.

Voorhoeve emphasized that Volvo VNR Electrics are now "hitting all the main spots in the U.S. I am enthusiastic about it because I strongly believe that we need to get more electric trucks on the road," he said.

VTNA currently has more than 300 service points in North America. By Christmas, VTNA plans to have 30 dealerships that are electric certified, Voorhoeve noted.

Overall, when it comes to electric truck learning curves, VTNA’s Brett Pope, director of electric vehicles, stressed that key is having a conversation early on in the electrification process.

“You have to have some thought about how you want to introduce that truck and what your operation cycles will look like and then the logistics and how you want to charge it,” Pope explained. “The customers that have been really successfully with it have spent a lot of time with it and got to know the product. We do spend a fair amount of time with the drivers because the drivers will impact that range. You see that natural learning curve, which is natural to watch, and then they settle out. From there, they start gaining in their mileage and range capabilities. Those are some of the learnings that we are working through.”