Leading truck manufacturer Volvo Trucks is opening its very first battery assembly plant located in Ghent, Belgium. The Swedish manufacturer says that the plant will supply ready-to-install batteries for Volvo Trucks’ full-electric heavy-duty trucks.
In this new plant, assembly into battery packs of cells and modules from Samsung SDI will take place.
Volvo Trucks’ heavy-duty electric range will use these custom-made battery packs: Volvo FH, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX.
Meanwhile, the series production starts in the third quarter of this year.
Furthermore, a single battery pack will have a capacity of 90 kWh. Depending on each customer’s specific load and demands, they can choose up to six such packs (540 kWh) in a truck.
“By integrating the battery assembly process in our production flow, we can shorten lead times for our customers and secure high-performing batteries, while at the same time increase circularity, ”
– Roger Alm.
The designs of the batteries allow remanufacturing, refurbishing and reuse. Moreover, the Volvo Trucks’ new plant in Belgium itself runs on 100% renewable energy.
“We started series-production of electric trucks already in 2019 and are leading the market both in Europe and North America. With the rapid development of charging networks, and improvements in battery technology, I am convinced that we will see a rapid transformation of the entire truck industry in the very near future,” says Roger Alm.
Volvo Trucks will offer a total of six electric truck models globally. Thus, the portfolio can cover everything from city distribution and refuse handling to regional transport and construction work.
Lastly, the production of three heavy-duty pure electric models will start this year in Europe.
