9 minute read
ELECTROMObILITY
Volvo Trucks - Driving the electric powertrain transformation
Volvo Trucks is further extending the Swedish green, clean image that’s so relevant and prevalent across this Nordic country. At Volvo Truck’s Demo Centre, located outside Gothenburg, a vast complex that accommodates Volvo Car and the new headquarters of sister electric car brand Polestar, a new fleet of heavy-duty trucks were warmed up and ready to drive around an urban environment. The recently launched Volvo FM & FMX Electric rigids and tractor-unit now join the medium-duty FL & FE Electric rigid and tractor-unit rigids launched in 2018.
Volvo Trucks is powering ahead with its electric powertrain transformation with the immediate availability of six electric truck models within its range from medium to heavy duty. Apart from zero-emission for the customer, one of the big advantages is that the same modular cab and chassis platform is used for the electric trucks as per diesel and natural gas vehicles. Aftermarket elements such as Dynafleet telematics and maintenance are also similar to those provided by the dealer network for ICE powered vehicles.
As mentioned, Volvo Trucks has developed new electric drivelines for its latest model lines - a medium-duty powertrain for the FL and FE and a heavy-duty specification for the FM, FMX and FH. Much of the technology has evolved from that introduced by Volvo Bus in 2015. Since the FL and FE Electrics were launched four years ago, over 1.5 million kilometres have been covered by customers, providing beneficial feedback to the Volvo engineers. Modifications to the I-Shift automated gearbox, fitted solely on diesel and gas powered trucks for almost 20 years, has allowed it to be suitable for electric vehicles also.
Lars Martensen, the Environmental & Innovation Director at Volvo Trucks, with over 21 years’ experience at the company, stated that we are living in very interesting times in the industry with the holistic shift towards emission-free road transport. “The Paris Agreement objectives have been met and Volvo Truck’s mission is to achieve 40% reduction in emissions per vehicle
by 2030 and by then 50% of Volvo Trucks sold will be electronically powered. The net zero target is 2040,” he added.
Nonetheless Lars stressed that for certain applications such as heavy haulage, there will still be a need for a combustion engine, be it diesel, gas or hydrogen powered.
As diesel power usage reduces, battery electric (BEV) and hydrogen (H2) will become more prominent. During the changeover period, Lars sees increased use of biodiesel, biogas and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) biofuel, coming from carbon neutral sources.
Certain applications such as refuse collection and urban deliveries will be best suited to BEVs with H2 for longer haulage, while diesel engines with carbon free fuel will continue to operate in the construction and heavy haulage sectors. He mentioned that an electric Volvo FH boasts a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to its diesel counterpart, while maintenance on an electric truck is 40% less.
Sverker Asemyr, Commercial Project Implementation Manager began by saying that Volvo Trucks delivered the highest number of electric powered trucks last year, with Norway, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands recording the biggest take-up, in what he called a ‘mature European market place’.
Before any new electric truck is
sold, the dealer sales executive meets with the customer to ascertain the need, application and specification before any deal contract is signed. “The electric truck has to be right, from the start and during the working life for the operator,” he said. Before the handover, driver training is undertaken on site, with full induction to the fleet manager.
Production of the new electric models for Europe will start in the second half of 2022. They join the Volvo FL Electric and Volvo FE Electric for urban transports that have been in serial production since 2019 for the same markets. In North America, sales of the Volvo VNR Electric started in December 2020.
With the addition of the new products with higher load capacities, more powerful drivelines and range of up to 300 km, Volvo Trucks’ electric portfolio could cover around 45% of all goods transported in Europe today. This makes it possible to make an important contribution to lower the climate impact from road freights, which according to official statistics account for about 6% of total CO2 emissions in the EU.
In addition to the electric vehicles, Volvo Trucks’ electrification program includes a complete eco-system with numerous service, maintenance and
financing solutions, as well as other options that can help facilitate an easier and faster transition to electrified transport. The holistic setup will help customers stay productive and in control of their new electric transport fleet.
Looking further ahead, even long-distance heavy transports will be able to be done with electric vehicles. To meet the challenging demands for both high load capacity and a much longer range, Volvo Trucks plans to use hydrogen fuel cells to generate the electricity. VOLVO TRUCKS’ ELECTRIC VEHICLE OFFERING FOR EUROPE
MODELS n Volvo FH Electric, for regional and intercity transport. n Volvo FM Electric, a versatile truck for heavy local transports and regional distribution. n Volvo FMX Electric, for cleaner and quieter construction transport. n Volvo FE Electric, for local and city distribution, waste transport. n Volvo FL Electric, for local and city distribution.
The program also includes the Volvo
VNR Electric for the North American market.
TECHNICAL FACTS n Volvo FH, FM and FMX Electric:
Range up to 300 km. Continuous power 490 kW. Max torque 2400 Nm.
Battery capacity up to 540 kWh. Gross combination weight (GCW) up to 44 tonnes. n Volvo FE Electric: Range up to 200 km. Continuous power 330 kW.
Max torque up to 850 Nm. Battery capacity up to 264 kWh. Gross combination weight (GCW) 27 tonnes. n Volvo FL Electric: Range up to 300 km. Continuous power 165 kW.
Max torque up to 425 Nm. Battery capacity up to 396 kWh. Gross combination weight (GCW) 16 tonnes.
VOLVO TRUCKS ELECTRIC DRIVETRAINS Charging capacity and times 43kW – AC – 10 hours – 100% 250kW – DC – 1hr 25 mins – 80% 250kW – DC – 1hr 55 mins – 100%
Supplied by Volvo’s Ghent plant (which has been CO2 neutral since 2007), each lithium-ion pack weighs 500kg, is crash tested and water cooled. There are three types of electric Power Take-offs (PTO), suitable for refrigeration, concrete mixer and materials handling equipment, ranging from 40kW – 70kW – 150kW, with a combination of electric, mechanical and transmission sourced engagement.
Tobias bergman, Press Test Director at Volvo Trucks, mentioned that the move to electrification is one of the largest transformations in the road transport industry. “This move to leave fossil fuel behind and the technical shift to zero-emission, is happening fast.”Lars Martensen
Sverker Asemyr Tobias Bergman
VOLVO FM ELECTRIC TRACTOR-UNIT
Cab type: High Sleeper
Engine: 3 x Electric Motors, Power = 490kW
Gearbox: I-Shift 12-speed automated
ESS Batteries: 6 x Lithium-ion Batteries = 540 kWh
Range: Up to 300km
Rear Axle & Suspension: Single Reduction, Ratio 3.08, Air, 12 tonnes
Front Axle & Suspension: Air, 8.5 tonnes
Wheelbase: 3900 mm
Chassis height: Medium
Gross Combination Weight: 40 tonnes
FEATURES AND MAIN CUSTOMER BENEFITS
Volvo Dynamic Steering – Increased safety, high driver comfort
Neck Tilt – Adjustment of the driving position for increased safety and comfort
Load Indicator – optimised loads, legal aspect
VOLVO FMx ELECTRIC 8x4 RIgID
Cab version: Sleeper
Engine: 3 x Electric Motors, Power = 490kW
Gearbox: I-Shift 12-speed automated
ESS Batteries: 6 x Lithium-ion Batteries = 540 kWh
Range: Up to 300km
Rear Axle & Suspension: Tridem, Single Reduction, Ratio 3.09, Air, 27 ton
Front Axle & Suspension: Air; 10 tonne, single front axle
Wheelbase: 4600 mm
Chassis height: Medium
Gross Combination Weight: 32 tonnes
Body: Palfinger Crane with flatbed
FEATURES AND MAIN CUSTOMER BENEFITS
Volvo Dynamic Steering – Increased safety, high driver comfort Neck Tilt – Adjustment of the driving position for increased safety and comfort Load Indicator – optimised loads, legal aspect Engine Skid Plate – Engine protection, reduced damaged cost Tridem – Optimised load distribution, improved turning radius, traction Sturdy Front – Robust and durable for reduced damage cost, uptime
FACTORY VISIT Volvo Trucks Tuve plant
On a previous occasion while visiting Volvo Trucks’ Tuve plant outside Gothenburg, the guided tour was taken on a miniature train. This time around, probably ten years later, the factory visit was taken on foot, which presented a more in-depth and informative opportunity. Here 2,500 employees put together 140 trucks each day, over two nine hour shifts.
The whole process begins from reams of high tension steel coils to chassis rails of different lengths and strength thickness, depending on the truck model type, application and specification. Volvo Trucks has very long heavy duty Stam steel pressing machinery.
Once the cabs come in from another factory, the assembly of all of the external and internal parts are done manually. The exception is the fitment of the windscreen, which is carried out meticulously by twin robots, one with a laser head to measure the cab dimensions, while the other is busy carefully placing the glue around the rubber housing, along the edge of the glass.
What was very noticeable on this trip was the high percentage of female workers on the production lines. According to the plant manager, the ratio is at 60:40 male:female, compared to 100% male from 20 years ago. Each work station takes 6 minutes and a full truck is built every 8 hours a time period that includes two quality control checks.
For the battery electric truck manufacturing, the same cab and chassis/cab structures exist except for the fitting of the diesel engine, of course.
The electric elements such as the three motors and up to six lithium-ion battery packs are installed in a separate newly built facility which can be further modified for expansion in due course.
It was clearly evident that quality control is paramount in all aspects of the building of each and every Volvo truck and the adaption to electric powertrain will bring no change to this approach.
Text: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fleet.ie
