Volvo Trucks secures major electric truck deal with Holcim
Volvo Trucks has secured a landmark deal with Holcim, a global building solutions provider, to sell 1,000 electric trucks by 2030. This agreement marks the largest commercial order for Volvo EVs to date.
The first batch of 130 Volvo FH and Volvo FM electric trucks is set to be delivered in 2023 and 2024, targeting markets in France, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK. The companies make no mention of technical data, but the series can be geared toward the construction industry, i.e. the latest variants are rigid chassis that can also be equipped with superstructures such as cranes, refuse compactors and concrete mixers.
Holcim, headquartered in Switzerland, aims to decarbonize its operations, and the partnership between the two companies is part of a broader effort to achieve significant CO2 reductions and drive the transition towards net-zero emissions.
Martin Lundstedt, President & CEO of Volvo Group, emphasizes the importance of long-term collaboration and commitment to achieving substantial carbon reductions. The cooperation with Holcim is a testament to their shared vision and the positive outcomes they accomplish together.
Jan Jenisch, Chairman and CEO of Holcim, also highlighted the need for “deep collaboration” across value chains to achieve the net-zero transition. By electrifying its logistics operations with Volvo’s electric fleets, Holcim aims to reach its target of 30% zero-emission heavy-duty trucks by 2030. The company also expects to save up to 50,000 tons of CO2 annually.
Volvo Trucks is not the sole partner for Holcim’s sustainability efforts. The building material specialist is reportedly collaborating with Magment, a German company, to roll out a “groundbreaking concrete-based solution” that enables wireless charging of vehicles in motion. Holcim has also incorporated zero-emission concrete mixers into its fleet through partnerships with Liebherr, Designwerk, and Hyliion.
Volvo Trucks has been making significant strides in electrification. The company reported a 141% increase in electric truck orders during Q1 of this year, with plans to expand the availability of its electric trucks in more countries.
With a target to have electric trucks account for 50% of its global sales by 2030 and achieve 100% electrification by 2040, Volvo Trucks has been actively introducing electric models such as the FE Electric and FL Electric. The production of electric variants in the heavy FH, FM, and FMX series began in September 2022 at the Gothenburg plant, and further variants are scheduled for release this year. Additionally, Volvo Trucks will commence electric truck assembly at its Ghent plant in Belgium.
“Our commitment to sustainable transport is clearly paying off. We are determined to work closely together with our customers to decarbonize truck transport”, says Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks.
At the same time, Volvo Group has faced allegations by climate think-tank InfluenceMap, accusing the company of lobbying against stricter climate regulations for the industry through its memberships in ACEA (Europe) and EMA (USA).
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