Volta Trucks, a London-based commercial electric vehicle (EV) startup, has achieved a significant milestone in its “Trucks as a Service” journey. The company has announced that series production of its 16-ton Volta Zero truck has begun in Steyr, Austria. Volta Trucks will initiate a test drive program for its customers, ensuring quality before the first deliveries later this year.
Volta Trucks began in 2019 and has progressed steadily towards the delivery of its first commercial EV, the Volta Zero. In just twelve months, the Zero moved from the drawing board to the assembly line, and the company is now on track to start series production in Europe by Q2 of 2023, with plans for US manufacturing to follow.
See also: Volta Trucks Receives Certification to Produce and Sell All-Electric Trucks in Europe
In March, Volta Trucks obtained European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval certification, allowing the company to sell its electric trucks overseas as soon as production begins.
Volta Trucks has now confirmed that series production has started, with the first vehicles entering the assembly line in Austria. The company explains that the first batch of commercial EVs will be used for the Volta Zero Driving Experience Program, which will enable customers to test drive the production-specific Zero truck and see how the technology fits into their fleet’s operations.
The first trucks produced will undergo extensive quality assurance and testing before any are officially delivered to customers. Volta Trucks’ Co-founder and Chief Manufacturing and Logistics Officer, Kjell Walöen, commented on the startup’s production milestone:
“The first full production Volta Zero going into the production line here at Steyr is the most substantial milestone the company has achieved to date. In just 2.5 years, less than half the time existing truck manufacturers take, we have moved from launching a concept, through the engineering, development and quality phases and now the start of production of the final specification models that will be driven by customers, making our urban environments safer and more sustainable.”
See also: Volta Trucks Brings All-Electric Volta Zero to the US Market at ACT Expo Trade Show
Volta Trucks has already secured orders for over 300 Zero trucks, totaling $92 million in revenue. The startup expects to begin deliveries in Q3 of this year, marking another significant milestone in its journey towards commercializing electric trucking.
