The market is receptive to more news in the electric segment and now in the heavyweight chapter. Some proposals are already beginning to be seen, such as the one launched by the Swedish Company Volta Trucks.
The Startup has revealed the new Volta Zero, its first vehicle, and the world’s first purpose-built full-electric 16-tonne commercial vehicle designed specifically for inner-city parcel and freight distribution. Volta Zero had its international launch and has already shown much of its design and technical characteristics.
Designed from the ground up with an operating pure-electric range of 150-200 km (95–125 miles), the Volta Zero will, according to the manufacturer, eliminate an estimated 180,000 tonnes of CO2 by 2025.
The automaker used an innovative e-Axle to drive the rear wheels, rather than the conventional electric motor and propeller shaft, which provides benefits by freeing up space between the chassis rails. This is where Volta Trucks places the vehicle’s battery. The electric truck has a limited top speed of 90 km/h (56 mph) and a 160-200 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate battery pack. The charging time is estimated between four and six hours, but it can be reduced in case of a more efficient structure.
In addition, the Volta Zero is 9,460mm in length, 3,470mm high, and 2,550mm wide, with a wheelbase of 4,800mm. It’s Gross Vehicle Weight is 16,000kgs and offers a payload of 8,600 kgs, with an overall volume of 37.7m 3 and is designed to accommodate 16 Euro pallets.
Inside the vehicle, the driver sits much lower than in a conventional heavy-duty vehicle, with their eye-line at around 1.8 meters. The center display conveys essential information, while the touch screens on either side are used for lights, climate control, navigation, and trip planning, communication, and in-cab media. The Volta Zero driver has a wide 220-degrees of direct vision around the vehicle.
The Volta Zero will offer the latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which help driving, safety, maneuvering, and parking. There are also rear-view cameras that replace traditional mirrors, a 360-degree birds-eye camera showing the driver their complete surroundings, and blind-sport warning systems that detect objects down the sides of the vehicle. The goal is to become the safest manufacturer of large commercial vehicles.
The driver of a Volta Zero will benefit from technologies such as Active Steering, Road Sign Assist, and Reversing Assistant with reversing camera, ensuring they have the latest safety support systems. It also features a technical condition monitoring system, based on artificial intelligence, to avoid breakdowns and maximize vehicle availability.
This global launch will be followed by tests in the real world with logistics operators in the first half of 2021. The mass production of the Volta Zero is expected to begin in 2022, and the search for a partner to manufacture it is ongoing.
