The First Volvo FL Electric Truck In Australia To Be Evaluated By BevChain Starting In April

January 20, 2021
Volvo Trucks Australia

Volvo will soon deliver the first FL Electric truck to Australia, a demonstrator model going to Linfox-owned beverage specialist BevChain in April of this year. The vehicle’s body has a capacity of eight pallets and also features a tailgate lift. It’s a natural fit because Linfox is an Electric Vehicle Council member that is looking for ways to improve the sustainability of its fleet.

This is also an important step for Volvo, as the company has been focused on both hydrogen fuel cell and all-electric technologies for years, both for urban and long-haul operations. In fact, the company recently announced that it wants to transition to entirely fossil fuel-free trucks by 2040, and that it expects to begin the production of heavy-duty electric trucks in 2022.

“Cleaner & Quieter”

“It is very clear that both our customers, and our customer’s customers, are demanding a cleaner and quieter urban transport environment,” says Tony O’Connell, vice president of Volvo Trucks Australia. “Momentum is building globally to create safe and clean cities and the arrival of this truck in Australia marks the first step on that journey for Volvo Trucks Australia. The electrification of our urban supply chain not only affects the local air quality of our cities. It also has the potential to make our urban areas more liveable. Imagine a cityscape of clear horizons, devoid of the rumble and hum of the tradition internal combustion engine, and that’s got to be something worth striving for.”

More Volvo FL Electric Details

The Volvo FL Electric is a 4x2 truck that features a 200-kilowatt (268-horsepower) electric motor that produces up to 425 newton-metres (313 pounds-foot) of torque paired with a two-speed I-Shift automated transmission. The FL Electric destined for BevChain has four battery packs totaling 200 kilowatt-hours, but there is also a six-battery pack model available with a higher rating. Depending on the exact configuration, charging takes anywhere from one hour on a fast charger up to 10.5 hours with regular charging.

Source: Volvo