GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Volvo Trucks ramps up electric truck volumes and starts serial production of heavy battery electric trucks at the Ghent factory in Belgium. This means that electric Volvo trucks are now built in four factories - three in Europe and one in the US.

"I'm thrilled! The Ghent factory is the largest one in our network, so this is a very important milestone. Now even more transport companies can go electric with Volvo," says Roger Alm, President Volvo Trucks.

Three different electric models will be built in Ghent - the Volvo FH, the Volvo FM and the Volvo FMX Electric. These trucks can operate at a total weight of 44 tonnes* and can be adapted for a wide range of transport needs.

"Our trucks are much loved for their outstanding quality, safety, design, and driver comfort. It makes me very pleased that our customers can get all these benefits and, at the same time, transport goods without emitting any CO₂," says Roger Alm.

The Ghent factory is the largest Volvo Trucks production site with a yearly capacity of around 45 000 trucks. The electric trucks are assembled on the same platform and line as the diesel and gas-powered trucks, in a production set-up that gives the factory a high flexibility when it comes to handling different variants and demands. The battery packs come from the recently opened battery assembly plant in Ghent, located right next to the production line.

First out with electric trucks
Ghent is the fourth Volvo Trucks factory to produce battery electric trucks. First out was Blainville in France, where Volvo started to build electric trucks for refuse handling and city distribution in 2019. One year later, the site in New River Valley, US, commenced serial production of the VNR Electric, designed for regional transport. Then, an important milestone was reached last year, when Volvo Trucks put their heaviest range into serial production at the Tuve plant in Sweden, as the first global manufacturer to do so.

So far Volvo Trucks has taken orders, including letters of intent to buy, for around 6 000 electric trucks in 42 countries on six continents.

"Just a few years ago, many thought it was impossible to electrify heavy truck transport. But we decided early on that electrification is our main path to zero emissions. Now we can offer an industry-leading range of purpose-built electric trucks, in commercial operation all around the world," says Roger Alm.

"However, for the big electric shift to happen, governments need to act now and offer incentive programs for those who invest in the new technology, increase capacity in the power grid and also introduce CO₂ taxes, to make sustainable transport more competitive."

*Gross Combination Weight (GCW)

LINK to high-resolution images

Press images and films are available in the Volvo Trucks image and film gallery at http://images.volvotrucks.com. .

For more information, please contact:
Helena Lind
Media Relations Director, Volvo Trucks
helena.lind@volvo.com
+46 76 5536257

The following files are available for download:


     
     https://mb.cision.com/Main/6667/3835012/2294646.pdf                                               Serial production of electric trucks
                                                                                                           in Ghent



     
     https://news.cision.com/volvo-trucks/i/volvo-heavy-electric-truck-range-at-ghent-plant,c3215610   Volvo heavy electric truck range at
                                                                                                           Ghent plant



     
     https://news.cision.com/volvo-trucks/i/volvo-heavy-electric-truck,c3215611                      
     Volvo heavy electric truck



     
     https://news.cision.com/volvo-trucks/i/aerial-photo-ghent-factory,c3215614                      
     Aerial photo Ghent factory

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ramping-up-volvo-starts-serial-production-of-electric-trucks-in-ghent-301927672.html

Tags

More Like This

Volvo Trucks launches new 80-tonne electric truck with longer range

Volvo has delivered its first electric trucks in Latin America

Volvo receives order for 300 electric trucks from DSV

Breakthrough for fast charging of electric trucks - Volvo Trucks launches new service

Volvo FH Electric wins 'Truck of the Year 2024' award

Volvo launches new electric trucks - with ranges up to 700 km

Volvo receives order for 100 electric trucks from DFDS

Volvo Trucks electric range wins 'International Truck of the Year 2027' award