Passenger vehicles are not the only ones to be making the transition toward electric power, trucks are headed the same way as well. And Volvo Trucks aims to be at the forefront of this quest, as it begins commercialization of its VNR Electric series in the United States and Canada.
We've known about the VNR Electric series for some time now, seeing that the company has discussed about this project earlier this year, as they are comitted to create a cleaner and quieter work environment for everyone. But now they've made the next big step forward, as they have announced the start of sales for the VNR Electric truck on North American Markets.
They have pointed out some of the benefits that come along with the switch from traditional fossil fuels to electric energy. We'll have quieter cities, as there will be no more noise pollution - no more exhaust noise. We'll have cleaner city air, as exhaust emissions will be cut down to zero.
No noise means that trucks will be able to do their job no matter the time of day, allowing for operability at night, which should reduce traffic congestion during the day. And we all know how big of a problem traffic jams have become in the past decade.
The lives of people working in the transportation industry, especially looking at the drivers here, will be better. With less cabin noise, and increased torque figures and throttle response, which makes for better driveability, their day to day jobs will become less stressful, less difficult.
The VNR Electric series will be available as a straight truck, a 4x2 Tractor and a 6x2 Tractor, providing a range of 150 miles (241 km) when fully charged, which should work just fine for local and regional distribution, food and beverage and pickup delivery. 80% charging status can be achieved in just 70 minutes, and these figures will most likely get better over the next few years.
The VNR's drivetrain is capable of 455 horsepower and up to 4,051 lb-ft (5,492 NM) of torque, working in conjunction with Volvo's two-speed I-shift automated transmission, and capable of reaching speeds of 65 mph (104 kph).
Prices for the new VNR Electric have not been disclosed as of yet, but we will know more when production starts, in Dublin, Virginia, early 2021.
The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S. Full profile
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