DFDS, Northern Europe’s largest shipping and logistics company, and Volvo Trucks are joining forces to electrify heavy truck transports. As a first step, DFDS will operate an all-electric truck to deliver parts to the Volvo truck factory near Gothenburg. The initiative marks a key step for building a fossil free supply chain for the Volvo Group.
“I am very happy and proud to cooperate with DFDS on this journey towards more sustainable transports. Volvo Group has set the target to build a fossil free supply chain and this is an important milestone on the way,” says Roger Alm, President Volvo Trucks.
Volvo Trucks recently announced the sales start of three new heavy duty all-electric trucks. One of them is the Volvo FM Electric, which DFDS will be one of the first to operate in commercial traffic. Starting after summer, the truck will deliver supplies to Volvo’s truck factory in Gothenburg, Sweden. Initially it will operate over a total distance of 120 kilometers per day.
“This full scale electric project demonstrates, in a tangible way, how serious DFDS is about being part of the shift to electric mobility and a more sustainable transport business,” says Niklas Andersson, Executive Vice President & Head of DFDS’ Logistics Division.
Volvo Group is one of the largest manufacturers of trucks and other vehicles in the world – and by that also a major transport buyer itself. The aim is to build a fossil free supply chain.
“Our joint goal is to learn from each other and gain deeper, useful insights covering crucial topics such as battery capacity, route planning, charging, the drivers’ experiences and much more. Going electric is so much more than just a truck – it is a total solution,” says Roger Alm.
Powerful charging station
To future-proof its investment, DFDS decided to build the most powerful charging station on the market at its home depot in Gothenburg, with a capacity of 350 kW.
“We are in the beginning of our e-mobility journey and understand that charging capacity is important. The learning experience with Volvo will be valuable when ramping up, allowing us to evaluate vehicle battery capacity based on routes and individual assignments,” continues Niklas Andersson.
Most complete line up in the industry
With the sales start of the three new heavy electric truck models – the Volvo FH, FM and FMX – Volvo Trucks now has an impressive line-up of six medium and heavy-duty electric trucks. This is currently the most complete commercial electric truck range in the industry.
“With the introduction of these new fully electric vehicles, with higher load capacities and more powerful drivelines, we believe the time is right for a rapid upswing in electrification of heavy road transport,” concludes Roger Alm.
Facts about Volvo Trucks electric range
Production of the new electric Volvo FH, FM and FMX models for Europe will start in the second half of 2022. They join the Volvo FL Electric and Volvo FE Electric for urban transports that have been in serial production since 2019 for the same market. In North America, sales of the Volvo VNR Electric started in December 2020.
