Volvo adds 14-tonne variant to FL Electric range

The FL Electric is Volvo Trucks’ medium-duty truck in the 16- and 18-tonne classes. Volvo Trucks has included this model in its portfolio since 2019. Seven years after its launch, the company has now introduced a new entry-level version with a 14-tonne gross vehicle weight. This model, of course, features an updated technical platform, including new batteries, which will also be fitted to older model variants.

First, let’s look at the 14-tonner itself: The electric truck is equipped with a 180 kW electric motor and a usable battery capacity of 145 kWh. This is expected to provide a range of up to 200 kilometres, depending on load, driving style, ambient temperature, and other factors, as the manufacturer states. The new entry-level FL Electric can be charged at 43 kW AC or 150 kW DC, with Volvo Trucks indicating that a DC charge from 0 to 100 per cent takes around one hour. Additional known specifications include several wheelbase options ranging from 3.8 to 6.5 metres and a ground clearance of 24 centimetres. Furthermore, there will be additional, as-yet-unspecified ‘axle configurations and battery configurations.’

That concludes the official information about the latest addition to the Volvo Trucks lineup. However, Renault Trucks recently unveiled the sister model E-Tech D14. Both manufacturers share a common parent company, the Volvo Group, and use the same technical platforms. The Renault model, presented at Solutrans in Lyon, may provide further insights into specifications. For example, it offers a width of 2.39 metres and a payload of 6.7 tonnes. Additionally, with a 3.8-metre wheelbase, it achieves a turning circle of under 7.3 metres.

A key feature of the new medium-duty trucks is their optimal balance between load capacity and manoeuvrability: “Its compact dimensions are ideal for navigating tight city streets for door-to-door deliveries, with the electric driveline keeping noise levels to a minimum and tailpipe emissions to zero,” Volvo Trucks highlights. The company also emphasises that the optimised payload, combined with improved battery capacity, unlocks new application possibilities.

“This is a perfect inner-city workhorse with no tailpipe emissions”, said Jan Hjelmgren, Head of Product Management at Volvo Trucks. “We are always there to help our customers find the best electric truck for their business. You should only buy as much battery capacity as you need for the task to maximise the productivity in terms of payload capacity and profitability.”

The design and positioning of the batteries in the new Volvo FL Electric are intended to avoid interfering with frame-mounted bodywork. The new batteries will also be retrofitted to several other electric models from Volvo Trucks. They will be integrated into the FL Electric models in the 16- and 18-tonne weight classes, as well as the FE Electric, which has a gross vehicle weight of up to 27 tonnes. Both the FL and FE Electric series have been on the market since 2019 and are available in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Australia, among other regions.

With the new 14-tonner, Volvo Trucks’ portfolio now includes eight battery-electric models, of which the company states that over 5,000 vehicles have already been sold worldwide—including more than 1,000 in Germany.

volvotrucks.com

This article was first published by Cora Werwitzke for electrive’s German edition.