Just a few years ago, many thought it impossible to electrify heavy-duty transportation. Today, Volvo Trucks offers a 100% electric range worldwide and has recently started series production of electric trucks at its assembly plant in Ghent, Belgium, where the battery packs required for these models are assembled. too. Volvo Trucks currently manufactures its electric trucks in four factories, three in Europe and one in the United States.
Three different electric models will be produced in Ghent: the Volvo FH, the Volvo FM and the Volvo FMX Electric. These trucks can operate with a total weight of 44 tons and can be adapted to many transport needs.
Production flexibility
The Ghent factory is Volvo Trucks’ largest production site, with an annual capacity of around 45,000 trucks. Electric trucks are assembled on the same platform and line as diesel and gas trucks, with a production configuration that provides the factory with great flexibility to respond to different variants and demands. The battery packs come from the recently opened battery assembly plant in Ghent, located right next to the production line.
Global Presence
Ghent is Volvo Trucks’ fourth factory producing battery electric trucks. The first is Blainville, France, where Volvo started to produce electric trucks for waste management and load distribution in urban environments in 2019. A year later, New River Valley, the US plant started production of the VNR Electric series, designed for regional transportation. Then last year, a major milestone was reached when Volvo Trucks began series production of its heavier range at the Porque plant in Sweden, becoming the first global manufacturer to do so.
So far, Volvo Trucks has received orders, including letters of purchase intent, for about 6,000 electric trucks in 42 countries on six continents.
