Blog

We’re two years into the Volvo VNR Electrical main the best way in zero emissions trucking, with the corporate on observe to place 300,000 such vehicles into operation within the coming years. It’s secure to say, then, that electrical semi vehicles aren’t coming quickly. They’re already right here, and the scope of heavy electrical automobile purposes is rising from metropolis and college buses to refuse and drayage vehicles to true over-the-road semi tractors. As such, producers are going to need to play a bigger battery manufacturing, utilization, and retirement than they do right now – and that’s the place Volvo Power is available in.

“The battery is the guts of an electrical truck,” explains Elisabeth Larsson, senior vp of gross sales and companies at Volvo Power. “When correctly maintained, it could ship a number of lifecycles, together with after its helpful life within the truck. This idea — known as “battery circularity” — is an funding within the total sustainability plan, not simply the truck. Volvo Power is reaching battery circularity via a course of deemed because the 4 Rs: refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, and recycle.”

A division of the bigger Volvo Group, Volvo Power is working to develop battery circularity specializing in what it calls “the 4 Rs”:

• refurbishing/repairing
• remanufacturing
• repurposing
• recycling

Refurbishing/repairing a battery permits its continued use or, in some instances, reuse, whereas remanufacturing includes changing modules to offer prospects with “good-as-new” substitute batteries at a decrease price than new ones.

On the finish of its automobile lifecycle, a battery that’s degraded to lower than 80% of its authentic capability when new may be repurposed, utilized in purposes like onsite vitality storage the place complete capability is much less vital than it is perhaps in a automobile. This type of repurposing can the lifespan of a truck’s battery by as a lot as a decade.

With these efforts, Volvo Power hopes to not solely contribute to sustainability, but in addition help charging, optimize vitality utilization in buildings or microgrids, and retailer inexperienced vitality from intermittent vitality sources like wind and photo voltaic.

“Buyer conversations are a spotlight of my job at Volvo Power,” says Larsson. “I meet many fleet managers who’re in control on battery lifecycle expectations. I additionally meet prospects who know little or no in regards to the course of however are wanting to be taught extra. Widespread amongst all of them is the will to spice up their sustainability plans, and so they look to Volvo Power to assist them obtain that purpose.”

In an trade the place one dimension doesn’t match all, Volvo, via Volvo Power, is recognizing the significance of tailoring options to satisfy the distinctive necessities of every fleet.

“Volvo Power gives worth by aiding fleets to find the best methods to delay the lifetime of the battery,” Larsson continues. “There are fleets that wish to optimize their utilization and residual worth by altering out batteries extra continuously, however that hinges on the course of advancing expertise. Providing prospects extra choices is a part of our plan. I feel there might be variations of enterprise fashions in improvement that align in line with what the client finds most helpful and price efficient.”

Supply | Photographs: Volvo Power.