Volta Trucks, after securing the necessary funds, has been moving swiftly to start the manufacturing of its full-electric commercial vehicle. The company has just announced that it has selected Proterra as the battery supplier for the Volta Zero.
The Zero is a 16-tonne vehicle designed for inner-city freight deliveries. According to the company, it will have a 160 to 200 kWh battery size and a range of 90 to 125 miles, with a top speed of 56 mph. It is estimated that it will eliminate around 180,000 tonnes of CO2 by 2025.
The Proterra-supplied battery will give the Volta Zero a real-world range of 200kms on a single charge. This distance is more than enough for most inner-city logistics and distribution vehicles. The battery pack delivers industry-leading energy density and a customizable design. This allows the battery in the Volta Zero to be located between the chassis rails, its safest possible location for the design.
The Proterra battery is designed to deliver over 4,000 recharge cycles over 10 years, without significant degradation, to ensure the longevity of the vehicle.
Volta Trucks chose Proterra because of the range and the durability offered by its battery pack, according to Chief Executive Officer of Volta Trucks, Rob Fowler.
“When talking to our extensive group of customers, vehicle range is uppermost in their minds as it sits at the heart of the vehicle’s ability to deliver for them,” he said. “It was therefore imperative that we work with an industry-leader to ensure the quality, longevity, and safe performance of the battery. Proterra’s cutting-edge but well-proven battery technology perfectly delivers all of this for us and our customers.”
This announcement has come just a week after Volta Trucks has confirmed the appointment of Meritor as the strategic full electric drivetrain component supplier for the Volta Zero. Meritor will supply the single unit, containing the electric motor, transmission, and rear axle of the Volta Zero, with its Blue HorizionTM 14XeTM integrated ePowertrain.
Volta Trucks, as we have reported, will sell 1,000 Zeros to the Petit Forestier Group to make refrigerated all-electric commercial vehicle available for rental from 2022. The electric commercial manufacturer has also signed a multi-million-pound deal for the supply of a fleet of Volta Zero trucks to Drinks Cubed, the London-based sustainable drinks brand.
The prototype of the Volta Zero was launched in September 2020, with the first vehicles expected to be operating with customers in late 2021.