Volta Trucks has revealed new 7.5- and 12-tonne variants of its Volta Zero electric truck.
The new trucks bear a “close but evolutionary visual relationship” to the larger 16-tonne truck which is currently undergoing testing.
However, while the 7.5- and 12-tonne trucks will be visually identical at the front, the 12-tonne version will have a slightly longer chassis and body, as well as a second set of rear wheels and tyres.
“The forthcoming 7.5- and 12-tonne models complete the full-electric Volta Zero product family. They’ll sit alongside our 16-tonne vehicle, that’s currently engaged in extensive testing ahead of the first customer use later this year, and the 18-tonne vehicle that will start production in mid-2023,” says Essa Al-Saleh, Volta’s CEO.
“Our customers tell us that they really appreciate the safety and zero-emission attributes of the 16-tonne Volta Zero, but also need smaller 7.5- and 12-tonne vehicles in their operations. Our engineering teams are now scaling rapidly to be able to deliver all four vehicles at pace, as our customers ask of us.”
Volta says that the development of the two new variants is being delivered at the same “industry-leading” pace as its other vehicles developments.
The start of the development process for the two trucks was confirmed in December 2021 and a pilot fleet of vehicles is expected to be launched for customer trials in 2024. Series production is expected to start in early 2025.
Volta also expects that the 7.5- and 12-tonne versions will make a “significant contribution” to its goal to sell more than 27,000 vehicles per year by 2025.
Volta’s founder and Executive Chairman, Carl Magnus Norden, told Auto Futures at the Autonomy Paris trade show last month that the use of the electric motor allowed for a complete redesign of the truck chassis.
Drivers have a wide 220-degree field of view out of the cab, for example, while 360-degree birds-eye rear-view cameras show the complete surrounding. Reducing the cab height should also reduce the load on busy drivers’ knees and joints as they jump down to kerb level when getting out.
Keyword: Volta Trucks Reveals New, Smaller 7.5- and 12-Tonne Trucks