Volta Trucks, a leading and disruptive fully electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, has revealed the forthcoming 7.5- and 12-tonne Volta Zero variants. These are the second product family in Volta’s lineup of electric vehicles (EVs).
The new variant of the Volta Zero have been designed by Volta Trucks’ partner, Astheimer Design in Warwick in the UK alongside Volta Trucks’ own engineering teams. The new electric trucks bear a close but evolutionary visual relationship to the larger fully-electric 16-tonne commercial vehicle, which is now undergoing extensive engineering development and testing ahead of customer evaluation during 2022.
The new 7.5- and 12-tonne vehicles will be visually identical at the front, with the 12-tonne vehicle having a longer chassis and body, and a second set of rear wheels and tyres, to accommodate the increased vehicle payload.
The new models also carry over the principles of a premium working environment for drivers thanks to the Volta Zero’s innovatively designed cab. This is sat lower to the ground and offers 220-degree vision for the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. This panoramic view of the surroundings through a glasshouse-style cab is designed to deliver a Transport for London five-star Direct Vision Standard rating for optimum visibility and the reduction of blind spots.
The protection of vulnerable road users is also enhanced by the use of rear-view cameras that replace traditional mirrors, a 360-degree birds-eye camera showing the driver their complete surroundings, and blind-sport warning systems that detect objects down the sides of the vehicle.
The new 7.5- and 12-tonne Volta Zero will also change the experience and workspace for drivers. With near-silent operations and minimised cognitive overload, thanks to an intuitive dashboard and interfaces, the driving experience is more like that of a premium car than today’s traditional commercial vehicle.
A pilot Fleet of the new vehicle variants is expected to be launched for customer trials in 2024, with series production due to commence in early 2025. The forthcoming 7.5- and 12-tonne vehicles will make a significant contribution to the company’s objective to sell over 27,000 per year by 2025 and increasing in the years beyond.
Essa Al-Saleh, Volta Trucks CEO, said: “The forthcoming 7.5- and 12-tonne models complete the full-electric Volta Zero product family. They’ll sit alongside our 16-tonne vehicle, that’s currently engaged in extensive testing ahead of the first customer use later this year, and the 18-tonne vehicle that will start production in mid-2023.
“Our customers tell us that they really appreciate the safety and zero-emission attributes of the 16-tonne Volta Zero, but also need smaller 7.5- and 12-tonne vehicles in their operations. Our engineering teams are now scaling rapidly to be able to deliver all four vehicles at pace, as our customers ask of us.”
