In a global transport industry accelerating toward decarbonisation, Volvo Trucks is steering firmly toward the future of electric mobility.
The company’s global ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 has placed electric mobility at the heart of its strategy. Capital Equipment News’ Juanita Pienaar spoke with Eric Parry, Volvo Trucks South Africa’s Senior Manager: Sustainable Solutions, to unpack the company’s electric vehicle (EV) journey - from its successes and challenges to its vision for a cleaner, more sustainable transport ecosystem.
A global commitment to sustainability
“Our EV range of trucks will play a key role in our goal towards fossil-free transport,” Parry says. “As a Group, we have an ambition to reach net zero emissions by 2040.”
This ambition extends well beyond producing electric trucks. Volvo Trucks is rethinking sustainability across its entire value chain - from fossil-free steel production and battery repurposing to recycling. The company’s approach is holistic, addressing every stage of a vehicle’s lifecycle.
Globally, Volvo Trucks has already made remarkable progress. “We’ve sold over 5 500 electric trucks in nearly every region on the planet. To date, our EV trucks have completed more than 200 million kilometres in customer operations,” Parry notes. “We are the market leader in most regions, with a 47% share in Europe by the end of 2024.”
South Africa’s first movers
While South Africa is still at the early stages of EV adoption in heavy-duty transport, Volvo Trucks is paving the way. “At present, EVs play a small role in terms of volume,” Parry explains. “But we’ve been one of the first movers locally, and we are working to advance the market.”
The company’s electric trucks are already making their mark. “Two prominent examples would be Vector Logistics, which has put two FH 6x4 Electric tractors into operation, running locally in Gauteng and Cape Town in a cold chain operation. The second is Strategic Transport, using two FM 6x4 tractors in a factory supply operation in Durban through our Volvo On Demand rental option,” Parry says.
The feedback from both operators has been overwhelmingly positive. “The drivers definitely do not want to go back to diesel!” he laughs. “The biggest positive is that the trucks have seamlessly joined the existing fleets. There’s very little thought from the customer on them actually being electric, they just do the job.”
A multi-fuel future
Volvo Trucks’ sustainability strategy is not pinned solely on electrification. The company recognises that a diverse mix of technologies will be needed to reach global climate goals.
“We do not see a complete shift over to electric only. A range of solutions will be needed,” Parry explains. “Our current diesel range can already use biofuels such as B7 and HVO with no modifications, and up to B100 with minor fuel system changes. We also have LNG-powered trucks, offering up to 100% CO₂ reduction with bio-LNG. Development is ongoing on our hydrogen internal combustion engine (H₂ICE) and fuel-cell (H₂FCEV) solutions.”
This pragmatic approach ensures that Volvo Trucks’ customers can transition to low-carbon transport at a pace and scale suited to their operations.
Challenges on the road to electrification
Despite these advances, Parry is candid about the hurdles facing EV adoption in South Africa.
“There are a number of factors at play,” he says. “While there is no ad valorem tax on EV trucks, they still attract the same import duties as diesel equivalents. Because of their higher base price, the Rand duty value is much higher. Even if we built them locally, we’d still pay duty, as the regulations don’t yet recognise electric drivetrains.”
Vehicle dimensions and weight present further complications. “The batteries take up more space, which increases the wheelbase - up to 1.1 metres longer than a diesel equivalent. This makes the overall vehicle combination slightly over the legal length when coupled with standard trailers. We’re working with the Department of Transport to have these rules updated to accommodate new-energy vehicles.”
Payload capacity is another issue. “Because EV trucks are two to three tonnes heavier, operators who need every possible kilogram of payload may find this limiting.”
And then there’s charging infrastructure - or rather, the lack thereof. “There’s very limited public charging that heavy commercial EVs can physically access, and even fewer that can charge fast enough for long-haul operations. For now, customers install their own chargers,” he explains.
Partnering for progress
To address these challenges, Volvo Trucks is building partnerships with local suppliers and industry bodies.
“We work with local charging providers who offer tailored solutions for customers, ensuring they have reliable support and expertise to scale their charging operations,” Parry says. “We also run detailed route simulations to determine whether electric is practical for a specific operation and where chargers should be located.”
On the financial side, Volvo Financial Services has introduced innovative models to make EV adoption easier. “Through Volvo On Demand, customers can rent an electric truck on a monthly basis without the high capital outlay. Contracts can run from six to 96 months and include full Gold Maintenance for peace of mind.”
Industry collaboration and policy support
Regulatory reform will be vital for faster EV adoption in the heavy commercial sector. Parry believes collaboration between industry and government is key.
“We understand that government doesn’t have the funds to provide large incentives,” he says. “But what would help is removing the barriers. Stop making it more expensive through misaligned duties, stop limiting operations because of trailer configurations or payload rules, and start looking at strategic charging corridors for heavy commercial EVs.”
To that end, Volvo Trucks is an active member of naamsa’s Heavy Commercial Vehicle New Energy Vehicle (HCV NEV) committee, working to engage policymakers and align regulatory frameworks with the realities of emerging technologies.
Innovation on the horizon
The coming years promise further advances in electric truck technology. “Earlier this year, we announced our long-range electric truck will launch in Europe in 2026. While it’s designed for European conditions, many innovations from that model will filter into more conventional configurations that are suitable for South Africa,” Parry reveals.
These developments are part of Volvo’s broader goal to deliver practical, flexible, and sustainable transport solutions across all markets.
A call to action for fleet owners
Parry’s message to fleet operators is clear: the transition to sustainable transport is not a distant ideal, it’s happening now.
“Sustainable transport has many aspects to it. Electric is just one, and while it’s not yet a horse for every course, it’s a lot more practical and suitable than most people think,” he concludes.
Volvo Trucks’ bold push toward electrification and broader decarbonisation signals more than a shift in technology - it’s a transformation in mindset. As the transport industry stands at the crossroads of environmental responsibility and operational practicality, Volvo is not just preparing for the future - it’s driving it.