Volta Trucks, the Swedish electric truck start-up, has received a significant boost after securing funding of 24.6 million euros from the German Federal Ministry of Transport to subsidize vehicle costs for 151 units of its Volta Zero. The all-electric Volta Zero, which received European type-approval for its 16-tonne model in mid-March, plans to deliver the first of the subsidized electric trucks to customers before the end of 2023.
āWe are delighted that the Volta Zero has been successful in securing the subsidy funding from the Federal Ministry in Germany. This is a major achievement and enormous recognition for our all-electric truck even before the official start of production in the second quarter of this year,ā says Usuf Schermo, Area Sales Manager Germany & Austria at Volta Trucks.
See also: The Volta Zero electric truck is tested under extreme heat of up to 39 degrees Celsius
The German Federal Ministry of Transport subsidies will be used entirely to reduce vehicle costs for German customers under the Directive on the Promotion of Light and Heavy Commercial Vehicles with Alternative, Climate-friendly Drive Systems and Associated Fuelling and Charging Infrastructure (KsNI). The 151 Volta Zero trucks, which are subsidized under the KsNI, theoretically come to an individual subsidy of 163,000 euros each.
āWith the new climate and transformation fund, Germany is becoming an absolute pioneer in Europe, from which Volta Trucks customers can now also benefit,ā Schermo said.
Moreover, Volta Trucks has announced that customers who place orders for the all-electric Volta Zero before the end of June 2023 can benefit from price advantage.
See also: Volta Trucks Receives Certification to Produce and Sell All-Electric Trucks in Europe
Volta Trucks’ production is already underway at contract manufacturer Steyr Automotive since September 2022, and they have received orders for the first 300 production seats. DB Schenker and Petit Forestier are currently the largest customers, with just under 1,500 units on order and over 1,000 Volta Zero units, respectively.
Although only second-generation prototype vehicles have been built for product validation, Volta Trucks plans to deliver the first of the subsidized electric trucks to customers before the end of 2023. As the actual production vehicles are built according to customer specifications, they may differ slightly from the validation vehicles.
Volta Trucks’ all-electric Volta Zero is a purpose-built, full-electric 16-tonne commercial vehicle that aims to reduce the environmental impact of freight deliveries in urban areas. The Volta Zero is designed to deliver freight to city centres with no tailpipe emissions, significantly reducing noise pollution and air pollution.
See also: Volta Zero electric truck completes test run in extreme temperatures
With the German Federal Ministry of Transport’s subsidies, Volta Trucks is poised to make significant progress in its mission to electrify urban freight deliveries, and its innovative approach to reducing the environmental impact of transportation is gaining recognition and praise from stakeholders.
