Hard to say if it was a first, but Volvo Trucks certainly attracted plenty of attention this week at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Long Beach, California, after showcasing a diesel truck alongside an all-electric.
Even though renewable and biodiesel typically get kudos at the popular alt fuel show, which Volvo Trucks CEO Peter Voorhoeve praised as the biggest and best of its kind in the world, the nation’s most popular workhorse is rarely gussied up and parked on the showroom floor. They’re mostly out of sight hauling vendors’ equipment behind the Long Beach Convention Center.
But every now and then, one slips in to the ball. In this case, Volvo debuted an autonomous diesel truck, a long-haul VNL 760 integrated with the Aurora Driver from Volvo Autonomous Solutions. Sitting close by was Volvo’s next generation VNR Electric 6x2 and an ECR25 Electric Excavator from Volvo Construction Equipment.
NFI Industries in Southern California ordered 60 of Volvo's latest VNR electric trucks. Another Southern California fleet, Quality Custom Distribution, signed up for 30.Tom Quimby
That substantial boost in range “makes it more applicable for different applications,” Voorhoeve told CCJ.
Already in production, the enhanced VNR Electric comes with 250kW charging capability which offers an 80% charge in 90 minutes for the six-battery package and 60 minutes for the four-battery version.
