The heavy duty electric truck that can run 24 hours a day
Danfoss, a Danish corporation, has purchased three Volvo electric trucks designed for heavy-duty tasks. Notably, they plan to utilize one of these trucks continuously for 24 hours a day, five days a week. This purchase serves as a testament to the debunking of the notion that electric trucks cannot be cost-effective due to the downtime required for charging.
The truck that operates around the clock will utilize modified high-speed chargers to swiftly recharge the battery during the process of unloading and loading the truck. Typically, this task is completed within approximately 15 minutes.
God Energi, a Danish company, has established the charging infrastructure.
Since the truck is covering relatively small distances and can charge while being loaded, there is no need for additional charging time. During weekends when the truck is idle, it will undergo lengthier overnight charging sessions to bring it back to a full charge.
"This is a clear evidence that cooperation among various industries is essential and also creates marvelous possibilities," states Joakim Nilsson, Volvo's Manager for Business Development in Zero Emission.
Danfoss provides essential parts for electric trucks, and it's great to witness their commitment as they actualize their promise by converting their entire fleet to electric vehicles.
There are now other instances globally where electric trucks are successfully operating round the clock. In Norway, a truck works continuously in three shifts daily to transport rocks over a distance of 14 kilometers from the distribution center to the intended location. Due to the truck's short travel distance and quick loading time, it can conveniently and swiftly recharge using a relatively compact 40 kW charger.
Additionally, alternative remedies have been suggested to address the considerable charging durations for electric trucks, especially those destined for lengthier trips.
Australia's Janus Electric replaces the battery in the trucks while the driver takes their designated 15-minute breaks. This enables the company to gradually recharge the batteries using clean and sustainable energy, while allowing the driver to resume their journey after the rapid exchange.
The acquisition of the three trucks is a component of a bigger agreement between the corporations, aiming to have a total of nine trucks working by the year 2024. Moreover, the company has made a firm pledge to shift their entire fleet of company cars to electric vehicles before 2030.
According to Torben Christensen, the company's head of sustainability and global services, the conversion of our transport vehicles to electric ones is aimed at showcasing to our customers and other businesses that although it may be difficult, it is not impossible to switch to electric vehicles and is crucial for reducing carbon emissions in your company.