Volvo Trucks Delivers a 100% Electric Truck in France

The President of Volvo Trucks France handed over the keys of the first 100% electric truck made with steel without fossil fuels to the company Thevenet.

On Thursday, December 22, 2022, Volvo Trucks delivered its very first 100% electric truck in France. It is the FM Electric, handed over to Transports Thevenet, based in Creuzier-le-Vieux, near Vichy (03). Present for the occasion, Marcus Hörberg, President of Volvo Trucks France, handed the keys to Eric Thevenet.

Volvo Truck at the forefront of technology

Eric Thevenet, President of the transport company of the same name, specified that he had a choice among other brands. He also states that he chose Volvo for its “advancement in electric mobility.” For Volvo Trucks France, this is a delivery that will mark the history of the brand and of transport in electric version. The 100% electric truck is intended to make weekly shuttles between the Thevenet site and the L’Oréal factory. “The daily shuttles will be operated without emitting a single gram of CO2 or pollutants, and in absolute silence!“, adds Jérôme Flassayer, Director of Electromobility at Volvo Trucks France.

The 44-ton truck is equipped with five batteries, having a total capacity of 450 kWh. With this battery capacity, it can travel up to 250 kilometers without recharging. “We could have installed more, but it’s not necessary for us“, completes Thevenet’s president. A 42 kWh charging station has been installed on the site’s parking lot. On-site, one of the three drivers operating the FM Electric stated that his initial impressions were quickly replaced by excitement after testing the truck.

The first semi-trailer made of steel manufactured without fossil energy

Besides being 100% electric, the FM Electric is also the first vehicle in France to be manufactured with steel produced without fossil energy. This steel is notably used in the side beams (steel bars that provide chassis rigidity). “This is a world first in the industry“, assures Jérôme Flassayer. It is produced using the proprietary Hybrit technology from the Swedish company SSAB. In the future, the manufacturer plans to expand the use of this fossil-free steel to other parts of their vehicles.

Volvo Financial Services France confirms that the vehicle is eligible for government aid. It handles the administrative management of the truck. Yani Penet, CEO of VFS France, explains that the group “is aware that the transition to electric is not an easy exercise. That’s why, as a captive financier, our mission is to support our clients in making this shift.”

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