Industrial Automation Magazine India

Volta Trucks confirms its US market entry strategy

Published on : Saturday 07-05-2022

Volta Trucks reveals its product, services, and manufacturing roadmap for entry into the North American market as part of the Route to Zero Emissions strategy.

May 5, 2022 – Volta Trucks has revealed the strategic roadmap for its entry into the North American market, having already established itself as the leading European full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider. The plan will see the first Volta Zero vehicles operating on Los Angeles' streets by the end of next year.

The introduction of Volta Trucks' 100% battery electric commercial vehicles into North America will be led in 2023 by a Volta Zero Class 7 truck which is equivalent to the existing European 16-ton truck, with a dry or refrigerated cargo box. The Volta Zero is a purpose-built 100% battery-electric medium duty truck specifically designed for urban logistics. The ground-up design of the Volta Zero uses an innovative compact eAxle, comprising the electric motor, transmission, and axle all in one unit, supplied by Michigan-based Meritor, and high-voltage batteries located within the chassis rails – their safest possible location – from California-based Proterra.

Volta Trucks will initially introduce a Pilot Fleet of 100 Class 7 trucks in mid-2023 that will be evaluated by US customers, starting in Los Angeles in mid-2023, with additional cities to follow, ahead of a roll out of production vehicles in 2024. To date, Volta Trucks has built 24 road-going 'Design Verification' prototypes which are currently undergoing a rigorous and extensive testing program in Europe. Ahead of the introduction in North America, the company expects to have already built more than 1,500 full-electric Class 7 trucks for European customers.

As a vehicle specifically designed for urban logistics, the Class 7 Volta Zero will offer a modular battery configuration to deliver a range of 95 - 125 miles – more than enough for downtown distribution routes. The vehicle is designed to accept both AC and DC 250 kW fast charging, which delivers a full charge from empty in just over an hour. Alternatively, one hour of 19 kW AC standard charging will add around 12 miles of driving range.

While commercial vehicles compose a small portion of city traffic, they have historically been involved in a disproportionate number of accidents with vulnerable road users. Without the traditional internal combustion engine, Volta Trucks, alongside Astheimer Design, reconfigured the entire driving experience to centrally mount the driver's seat, and lower it, in order to meet pedestrians and cyclists at eye level. The Volta Zero's glasshouse-style cab offers a 220-degree view around the vehicle, for optimum visual awareness and blind-spot reduction.