A 16-Ton All-Electric Commercial Truck Just Started Real-World Tests

In July of last year, full electric commercial vehicle manufacturer Volta Trucks announced the introduction of the world’s first purpose-built full-electric 16-tonne commercial vehicle designed specifically for inner-city logistics. Now, the firm has said it has begun testing the truck. This comes right on time as we predicted that 2021 will be the year of the electric truck.

"The start of testing and evaluation of the first prototype Volta Zero is a major milestone on our journey towards production, and an exciting time for all of the Volta Trucks team and our customers. To have achieved this landmark moment in just eight months is a great example of the nimble and agile approach we have at Volta Trucks," Chief Product Officer of Volta Trucks, Ian Collins, said in a statement.

Collins further described how the firm was dedicated to working at a high pace to deliver zero-emission, full-electric commercial vehicles to market quickly. Collins explained that their customer base required the vehicles as soon as possible and that they should be able to deliver the trucks by the end of next year.

All the electro-mechanical and thermal properties of the truck will be tested including the high-voltage battery, the compact rear axle, electric motor, and transmission eAxle unit. The truck's weight-carrying capacity will also be tested. 

Furthermore, in order to ensure that the Volta Zero vehicles deliver the durability and reliability expected by all who drive it, the car will be tested in periods of cold weather in the Arctic Circle and hot weather in southern Europe. 

The Volta Zero has an operating pure-electric range of 95 – 125 miles (150 - 200 km). The vehicle is also estimated to eliminate 1.2M tonnes of CO2 by 2025.

Finally, last but not least, the truck has been built with safety in mind. The driver of a Volta Zero sits in a central driving position, with a much lower seat height than a conventional truck offering the operator a wide 220-degrees of vision that minimizes blind spots.

The first Volta Zero vehicles are expected to be operating with customers in late 2021 and Autoweek has reported that the firm is aiming to conquer Europe with its new truck. All in all, it's looking pretty good for Volta Trucks.