Volta Trucks to debut all-electric truck at ACT Expo
April 14, 2023
Volta Trucks, based in Stockholm, Sweden, has confirmed the launch and first public display of its all-electric Volta Zero truck will take place at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo, May 1-4, in Anaheim, California, USA.
The ACT Expo is marketed as the world’s largest event dedicated to alternative-fuel commercial vehicles for vehicle manufacturers and commercial transport providers. Volta Trucks will present a Class 7 Volta Zero design-verification prototype on booth 6895. Volta Trucks executives and product experts will be on hand to discuss the all-electric truck, as well as the company’s ‘Truck as a Service’ subscription model, and vehicle charging.
“I’m delighted to be able to show the all-electric Volta Zero in the important US market, at ACT Expo in California,” Chief Executive Officer of Volta Trucks, Essa Al-Saleh, stated. “We’re building on the key learnings from our European launch, where we’ve developed at speed and scale, with deep understanding of our customers’ needs, to accelerate the transition to electric commercial vehicles and help decarbonise city centres. The US faces the same safety and sustainability issues we are addressing in Europe and is a significant market opportunity for us. This marks the start of our journey in the US, and we are excited to bring road-certified vehicles for US customers to evaluate later this year.”
The introduction of Volta Trucks’ all-electric commercial vehicles into North America will be led in 2023 by the Class 6 and Class 7 Volta Zero (equivalent to the existing European 16-ton truck), which will be available with an ambient or refrigerated cargo box. In late 2023, Volta Trucks intends to launch a US-based Driving Experience Program for fleet operators to evaluate a pilot fleet of Volta Zeros in real distribution environments to understand how the electric delivery trucks will integrate into their operations. A similar programme is currently launching across six European countries. The US programme will start on the west coast, ahead of a roll out of production vehicles expected in 2024.
The Volta Zero is said to be the first purpose-built all-electric medium-duty truck specifically designed for urban logistics. The ground-up design of the Volta Zero uses a compact eAxle, comprising the electric motor, transmission, and axle all in one unit, supplied by Michigan-based Accelera by Cummins, and high-voltage batteries located within the chassis rails – thought to be the safest possible location – from California-based Proterra.
As a vehicle specifically designed for urban logistics, the Class 6 and Class 7 15-ton Volta Zero will offer a modular battery configuration to deliver a range of 153-201 km (95-125 miles) – reportedly enough for downtown distribution routes.
Safety
Commercial vehicles compose a small portion of city traffic but have historically been involved in a disproportionate number of accidents with vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists. As the electric powertrain allowed the company’s designers to create a new vehicle concept from the ground up, the Volta Zero has been designed with a glasshouse-style cab with a 220º direct view around the vehicle, for blind-spot reduction, and a lower, centre-mounted driving position that enables eye-level connection with all road users.
The driver enters and exits the vehicle on either side, always onto the sidewalk for their own safety, and through sliding rather than swinging doors, to also ensure the safety of passing cyclists. All Volta Zeros benefit from the same safety standards, as well as zero-tailpipe emission powertrains, eliminating CO2 emissions and harmful particulates that diminish local air quality and contribute to health issues.
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