Volvo Trucks has delivered a 74 ton electric truck for heavy transport to a haulier in Gothenburg, Sweden. For the past few weeks, testing has been ongoing on one of the trucks in container traffic in the port area of ​​Arendal in Gothenburg. The test is a so-called HCT (High-Capacity Transport) project. The truck with two trailers is 32 m long and can handle a gross combination weight of 74 tonnes.

The electric truck being tested is a Volvo FH Electric 6X4 and is charged with green electricity at the two fast 180 kW chargers that Mattsson Åkeri has installed in the company’s depot in Arendal. In the long term, the truck will also run between Gothenburg and the city of Borås, 70 km from Gothenburg.

High capacity transport for Volvo 74 ton electric truck

High-Capacity Transports (HCT) means that the vehicle’s length and/or gross weight is allowed to increase, which allows for a larger load to be transported per vehicle. HCT can be applied on all types of drivelines. The idea is that HCT will contribute to lower transport costs, reduced environmental impact, higher traffic safety, reduced road wear and lower maintenance costs. 

volvo 74 ton e-truck

“Driving long and heavy loads using electricity works very well so far, and we can carry as much cargo as a diesel truck,” said Jan-Olof Mattsson, CEO of Mattson Åkeri. “The truck runs 12 hours a day, with a stop for charging when the driver takes a break. We charge with green electricity and thus get no CO2 emissions. Silent, electric operation also means a better working environment for the driver.”

“We want to show that all-electric solutions also work in applications with high total weights and a high utilization rate. Together with Mattson Åkeri, the Swedish Transport Administration and several other partners, we are now looking at how we can optimize the operation of the electric truck, including how charging should take place in the most efficient way,” added Lena Larsson, project manager of the HCT project within Volvo’s technology organization.

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