Volvo has now commenced sales of heavy BEV trucks in South Korea, the first in the world.
Volvo Trucks claims it is the first global manufacturer to start serial production of heavy electric (BEV) trucks and has started retailing them to industries in South Korea, which is home to a freight market with a large volume of goods transported over short distances. This makes this the ideal candidate to launch this new initiative with.
Numerous industries and types of transport can be electrified in South Korea, ranging from urban distribution and refuse disposal to regional transportation and construction traffic.
Due to the relatively short distances, Volvo maintains that when an expanded public network of charging stations is developed, more transport needs can be electrified over time. This is also in line with South Korea’s national plan to decrease CO2 emissions, with the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
Electrifying road transportation is one important measure to cut a large portion of the country’s CO2 emissions.
“We think the timing is just right to start selling heavy electric trucks in South Korea,” says Per-Erik Lindström, SVP Volvo Trucks International, and continues: “With 22% market share for heavy-duty trucks in South Korea, we have an important role to play in order to lower the transport sector’s CO2 emissions.”
On a personal front. Volvo Trucks’ goal is for 50% of the new trucks it sells globally by 2030 to be electric. Since it started production of fully electric trucks in 2019, the company has sold more than 4,300 electric trucks in over 38 countries around the world.
“It’s obvious that the speed of the electric transition in any country is very dependent on the decisions the authorities make. We see that in the countries that are leading the transition to electric trucks, the progressive governments have combined economic incentives with targeted taxes and environmental zones in cities to greatly speed up the adoption of electric trucks,” adds Per-Erik Lindström.
Electrification is great for the general public too, as no emissions are released to passersby and noise pollution is kept to a minimum due to the quiet nature of EVs.
A win-win for everyone it seems!
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