Volvo enters arena as major player in EV revolution after making record-breaking journey with all-electric truck

In early November, Volvo set a new record for Australia’s longest all-electric heavy-duty truck journey by traveling from Queensland to the Australian Capital Territory, CleanTechnica reports.

The chosen route ran from Brisbane in Queensland to Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory, a distance of about 760 miles. The truck was a Volvo FH Electric, an impressive vehicle that can haul up to 48.5 tons and has a range of over 186 miles on a single charge.

According to a description of the FH Electric on Volvo’s website, “Three electric motors combined with an I-Shift gearbox adapted for electromobility provide a smooth and powerful driving experience. The massive power of up to 490 kilowatts/666 horsepower is handled by a unique traction control system also developed to master slippery surfaces. Different drive modes are available to set the desired performance, comfort, and energy usage levels. Six battery packs produce up to 540 kWh, ensuring sufficient range for many regional haul assignments.”

In the past, electric vehicles weren’t capable of that kind of raw power. But new developments have made all-electric heavy-duty trucking more realistic than ever, and this new record proves it. The FH Electric completed the trek in a total of 48 hours, including about 12 hours of charging time during the course of eight stops, CleanTechnica revealed.

The drive time was 22 hours, eight hours longer than a diesel truck. However, by sparing those extra hours, the truck saved about 1.3 tons of air pollution compared to diesel.

That huge reduction in pollution is a major reason that Volvo has pledged to become an all-electric automaker by 2030, with a goal to reach 50% EV sales by 2025. Electric vehicles save owners money over the lifetime of the vehicle, and they’re quieter, cleaner, and easier to maintain than gas-powered cars, too.

Thanks to those benefits, both businesses like logistics provider GEODIS and government organizations like Queensland Fire and Emergency Services are starting to adopt Volvo’s electric trucks in Australia, CleanTechnica reports. Volvo itself also uses the trucks to haul its own parts, proving that it stands by its vehicles.

“We recognize the growing importance of integrating both sustainable and innovative solutions into the supply chain ecosystem, especially as more of our customers look to us to transport their cargo in an ethical and sustainable manner,” Stuart Asplet, Sub-Regional Managing Director, Pacific at GEODIS, told CleanTechnica.

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