Q&A

Volvo Trucks' target is to be completely fossil-free by 2040. “If we stop selling products that rely on CO₂ by 2040, it means that our running population [of trucks] out in the world should be net-zero by 2050,” Jessica Sandström, Senior Vice President, Product Management and Sustainability at Volvo Trucks, said during a September media event at the company's headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden. Nearer term, the truck maker is targeting 50% of its global sales - approximately 75,000 units - to be zero-emission by 2030.

Battery-electric trucks will be the OEM's main technology path to achieve this aggressive target. “That is the product we foresee will have the largest volume over time. It is because it's simply the most efficient solution,” Sandström said. In 2024, Volvo Trucks will begin to build its first battery plant, which will be in Sweden, where green energy currently is more plentiful. Battery production is an energy-intense process, Sandström noted: “If we are going to have a net-zero truck, it also means that all components going into the truck should be net-zero.”