Volvo Trucks Corporation’s next generation all-electric Class 8 VNR trucks will soon enter the North American market with upgraded battery capacity, improved charging speeds and greater range.

The Gothenburg, Sweden-headquartered truck manufacturer, a subsidiary of Volvo Group, has produced a large amount of the world’s heavy-duty trucks. Previously, the Swedish automobile giant partnered with businesses like DHL to produce electric heavy-duty trucks and teamed up with autonomous tech businesses like Aurora to develop self-driving vehicles.

Towards the end of 2019, the company started selling its fully-electric trucks in Europe. Now, it has set its eyes on the fast-growing North American market. In early 2020, it introduced the all-electric VNR Class 8 BEV. Ahead of the BEV’s series production in the second quarter of last year, the company opened up its sales books to commercial customers. The flagship Volvo VNR Electric truck comes equipped with a 264-kWh battery pack, which has the ability to recharge to 80 per cent in less than 70 minutes using an efficient DCFC.

The 2021 VNR Electric offers a driving range of up to 150 miles. It originally came in three configurations: a single-axle box truck with 33,200 lbs. gross vehicle weight and two tractor configurations. Now, the commercial vehicles giant is preparing to introduce two additional variants with added range. The second-generation VNR Electric is reportedly capable of delivering a range of up to 275 miles on a single charge.

Improved designs have enabled Volvo Trucks to achieve up to 40 per cent increase in storage capacity for each battery. To manage & maintain ideal temperatures to ensure optimal performance, the electric truck has been fitted with a dedicated Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS).

Peter Voorhoeve, President of Volvo Trucks North America, said, “Volvo Trucks is at the forefront in the industry, always innovating and improving, while upholding the highest standards in design, construction and safety. Our team is proud of its role, together with dealers and customers, in accelerating the shift to electro-mobility and a more sustainable future.”

The latest VNR Electric Truck, Volvo has also introduced a six-battery pack option. According to the manufacturer’s claims, the combination of all three can deliver energy storage of around 565 kWh, nearly 300 kWh more than the former VNR Electric model. Operational range of the commercial EV has also increased to 275 miles per full charge, nearly 125 miles more than the range of its predecessor.

In addition to improved energy storage and range, customers of the new VNR Electric will see notable reductions in charging times.