Volvo CE begins serial production of electric haul trucks
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- Volvo CE began serial production of its A30 and A40 Electric articulated haul trucks — what the company calls a world first for electric articulated haulers of this size moving from pilot to regular manufacturing.
- A30 Electric offers a 29-tonne (64,000 lb) payload and "full day" operation from a 245 kWh lithium-ion battery, while the larger A40 Electric carries 39 tonnes (86,000 lb) on a 324 kWh pack with the same all-day performance.
- Both models run the same 350 kW (~470 hp) electric motors through a torque-amplifying gear reduction gearbox, with peak "at the wheel" torque reported above 200,000 lb-ft — performance Volvo says matches diesel equivalents.
- Charging uses a conventional CCS connector at up to 200 kW, fast enough in the construction-equipment domain to take the batteries from 10–80% between operator shift changes.
- First machines off the line go to customers in the UK and Norway in the coming weeks, with additional deliveries to select European customers planned for the second half of 2026.
- Volvo CE President Melker Jernberg framed the milestone as proof the company's industry-transformation ambition is backed by "real execution," while electromobility sales lead Fredrik Tjernström said post-Bauma customer interest has pushed demand beyond the initial production schedule.
- The articulated hauler segment carries historical weight for Volvo: the company invented the class in 1966 with the launch of "Gravel Charlie," the industry's first articulated haul truck.
Why it matters: Volvo essentially invented the articulated hauler in 1966, so the company now being first to put a full-size electric version into serial production sets the competitive benchmark for the segment. With 350 kW drivetrains, all-day battery packs, and sub-shift-change CCS fast charging, the A30 and A40 aren't pilot demonstrators — they're production machines that quarries and contractors in the UK, Norway, and broader Europe can now actually order, with ripple effects for diesel-hydraulic competitors in construction and mining equipment.
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