Volvo FH electric shows its credentials on well-known testing route
Volvo has put its electric FH to the test with a fully loaded truck traversing the Green Truck Route, a 343 km long route used by manufacturers for testing, but mostly known as the test route used to determine the annual ‘Green Truck’ award which Volvo rival Scania has won for the last five years on the trot.
The Volvo FH Electric boasts 490kW of continuous power and with a loaded trailer the gross combination weight came in at 40 tonnes.
To keep things relatiely neutral, German trucking journalist Jan Burgdorf tested the truck on the Green Truck Route.
“I have to say, when driving this truck it is as agile, or even more agile, than a diesel truck. Drivers will be very surprised about how easy it is to drive, how quiet it is and how well it responds. There are no vibrations whatsoever,” says Jan Burgdorf.
The Volvo FH Electric kept an average speed of 80 km/h over the whole route, which Volvo say is on par with the Volvo FH diesel engine model.
Based on the tested energy consumption of only 1.1 kWh/km, the electric truck had a total range of 345 km which makes it technically capable of fiinishing the route on a single charge though during the test it was hooked up to a charger during the mandated 45 minute lunch break.
“These test results show that it is possible to drive up to 500km during a regular work-day, with a short stop for charging, for example during lunch time,” explains Tobias Bergman, press test director at Volvo Trucks.
Volvo says on the Green Truck Route tests, the Volvo FH Electric used 50 per cent less energy than a Volvo FH with a comparable diesel engine.
“The electric driveline is very efficient, making the all-electric truck a very powerful tool for reducing CO2 emissions,” comments Tobias Bergman.
Volvo Trucks goal is that electric vehicles will account for half of its truck sales in 2030 and in 2040, 100% well-to-wheel based CO2-reduction for new trucks sold.
Check out the video of the test below.