DFDS strikes electric truck fleet deal with Volvo

Volvo Trucks has received an order for 100 FM Electric trucks from DFDS, Northern Europe's largest shipping and logistics company.

The deal is the largest commercial order to-date for Volvo electric trucks, and one of the largest ever for heavy-duty electric trucks worldwide.

Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks, said: “This is a major milestone in our commitment to fossil-free transportation and I am very proud of the partnership we have with DFDS.

“Together we are showing the world that electrified heavy truck transport is a viable solution already today. I believe this will encourage many more customers to confidently take the first step in their own electrification journey.”

Deliveries of the first Volvo FM Electric trucks to DFDS will start in the fourth quarter of 2022 and continue throughout 2023.

The trucks will be used for both short and regional transport in the DFDS logistics system in Europe.

Niklas Andersson, executive vice president and head of logistics division at DFDS, explained: “At DFDS, we're determined to play our part in reducing CO2 emissions and creating a sustainable supply chain.

“We know how important electrification is in the journey to reach our CO2 targets, and I hope we can inspire others as we move forward in this vital transition.”

The FM Electric can operate at up to 44 tonnes gross combination weight and has a range of up to 300 km.

Each truck can be charged either via overnight depot charging (each truck comes with an AC charger) or via high power charging en route (DC charging).

DFDS has chosen a financing solution provided by Volvo Financial Services.

The electrification trend in the heavy truck market is accelerating. In Europe, several hundred electric trucks above 16 tonnes have been registered so far this year. Of these, approximately 40% are Volvos.

Alm continued: “Our clear aim is to drive the electric truck transformation and our market-leading position shows that we are definitely on the right track.

“Our target for 2030 is that half of our global truck deliveries will be electric.

“We are pleased to see that growing interest among our customers is starting to be reflected in firm orders, not least by this impressive order from DFDS.”

Volvo Trucks began serial production of electric trucks in 2019, as one of the very first truck brands to do so.

The product range now includes six electric truck models – the Volvo FH, Volvo FM, Volvo FMX, Volvo FE, Volvo FL and the Volvo VNR, sold in North America.

DFDS provides ferry and transport services in and around Europe. Its 10,000 employees are located across more than 20 countries.