Volvo Trucks North America will kick off production of its “enhanced” VNR Electric model this Spring – a truck that features an increased range of up to 85 percent, faster charging, and more configurations than the prior model. 

Volvo Trucks first began taking customer orders for its first Volvo VNR Electric model in December 2020, with commercial production starting mid-2021 at the company’s New River Valley manufacturing plant in Dublin, Va. Deliveries of the VNR Electric model are ongoing to fleets across the country, and over the past year, Volvo Trucks has delivered it to customers in several states, enabling the truckmaker to collect operating data that allows for the continual refinement of the technology. The enhanced Volvo VNR Electric’s range boost lies in the improvements made in the battery – technology, design, management, and package offers. Improvements in battery design have resulted in an up to 40 percent increase in storage capacity for each battery.

A dedicated Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) was added to manage and maintain ideal environmental temperatures. Volvo Trucks has also introduced a new six-battery package option. Combining all three boasts increased energy storage of up to 565 kWh and offers an operational range of up to 275 miles.

Regenerative braking energy is captured and fed back into the system to maximize energy efficiency and driving range. The enhanced Volvo VNR Electric also reduces the required charging time, as the 250 kW charging capability provides an 80 per cent charge in 90 minutes for the six-battery package and 60 minutes for the four-battery version.