Volta Trucks confirms the start of series production of the all-electric Volta Zero at Steyr Automotive – the company’s partner in contract manufacturing.
Series production start marks the most significant milestone for Volta Trucks yet.
Order books for the inaugural Volta Zero now open.
Volta Trucks, the leading and disruptive all-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, has confirmed the start of production of the 16-tonne all-electric Volta Zero at Steyr Automotive, the company’s partner in contract manufacturing, in Steyr, Austria.
Following the Design Verification and Production Validation prototypes started in 2022, the first series production customer-specification vehicles have now entered the production line. The initial batch of vehicles will be used for the Volta Zero Driving Experience Programme. This test drive programme, where customers will be loaned a truck for an extended period, will allow fleet operators to understand how the production-specification all-electric medium-duty truck will integrate into their operations. Following the start of production, the trucks produced will undergo rigorous and extensive quality assurance and testing, with the first trucks ordered by customers expected to be dispatched in Q3, 2023.
Volta Trucks welcomed Leonore Gewessler, the Austrian Minister of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology to the manufacturing facility in Steyr last week to witness the significant milestone of the final preparations for the start of production of the all-electric Volta Zero.
“Here in Steyr, modern, climate-friendly e-trucks are being manufactured as of today with the Volta Zero. This shows: There are enormous opportunities for Austria and Europe in e-mobility: more climate protection, more quality of life in our cities and future-proof jobs. I am really proud that this production takes place in Austria. Thank you for the exciting insight into this impressive work,”
emphasised Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler after her visit.
Volta Trucks’ contract manufacturing facility is owned by Steyr Automotive. Following an extensive tender process, Steyr Automotive was appointed in August 2021 based on its extensive experience in commercial vehicle manufacturing, existing manufacturing facilities, and consequent speed to market. Steyr Automotive offers Volta Trucks more than 100 years of manufacturing experience building commercial vehicles.
Steyr Automotive has reserved a capacity of up to 14,000 vehicles per year for Volta Trucks from their total available production. Volta Trucks will ramp up production volumes over the coming years to maximise this opportunity and during this time, manufacturing the Volta Zero will potentially create over 700 jobs and a further estimated 2,000 positions within the supply chain.
Co-Founder and Chief Manufacturing and Logistics Officer of Volta Trucks, Kjell Walöen, said;
“The first full production Volta Zero going into the production line here at Steyr is the most substantial milestone the company has achieved to date. In just 2.5 years, less than half the time existing truck manufacturers take, we have moved from launching a concept, through the engineering, development and quality phases and now the start of production of the final specification models that will be driven by customers, making our urban environments safer and more sustainable. The industry-leading pace to market set by Volta Trucks is a true testament to the highly skilled and driven professionals in the company and our partners, and the whole team is extremely proud of this milestone moment.”
Ends.
Editor’s notes.
Notes to Editor
The Volta Zero is the world’s first purpose-built all-electric 16-tonne vehicle designed for urban logistics, reducing the environmental impact of freight deliveries in city centres. The Volta Zero is designed from the ground up with an operating pure-electric range of 150 – 200 kms (95 – 125 miles).
Safety is also at the heart of Volta Trucks, with the ambition to produce the safest trucks for our cities. The Volta Zero was designed for electric from the outset, which facilitates a step-change in vehicle, driver and pedestrian safety. Thanks to the removal of the internal combustion engine, the operator of a Volta Zero sits in a central driving position, with a much lower seat height than a conventional truck. This combination, plus a glass house-style cab design, gives the driver a wide 220-degrees of visibility, minimising dangerous blind spots.
Volta Trucks is also innovating with its Truck as a Service proposition that has revolutionised the financing and servicing of commercial vehicle fleets. Truck as a Service offers fleet managers a frictionless and hassle-free way to electrify their fleet by offering an all-inclusive service for a single, affordable, monthly fee. It provides access to an all-electric Volta Zero, with its charging infrastructure needs provided by world-leader Siemens, insurance through Europe’s premier insurtech broker, Qover, and servicing, maintenance, and training requirements, maximising the uptime
About Volta Trucks
Volta Trucks was founded in 2019 in Sweden by co-founders Carl-Magnus Norden and Kjell Waloen. The company, focused primarily on operations across all major cities in Europe and the UK, aims to accelerate the transition to fully electric trucks, reducing the effects of climate change and helping make our cities safer, healthier and more sustainable for everyone. Volta Trucks is partnering with a number of global leaders in the supply chain for the development and production of the Volta Zero, at pace and scale. In total, Volta Trucks has raised over €360 million funding to date.
The company’s contract manufacturing facility is in Steyr, Austria, where production of customer specification vehicles is starting in early Q2 2023. The company has also established a network of ‘Volta Trucks Hub’ service and maintenance facilities in its launch markets, with the first four already announced in Bonneuil-sur-Marne, to the south of Paris, in Tottenham, London, Duisburg, to the west of the Rhine-Ruhr region in Germany, and in Madrid, Spain.
For further information, please contact:
Amanda Gibson
Amanda.Gibson@voltatrucks.com
Head of Public Relations
00 44 7565 999199
Brian Wheeler
Brian.Wheeler@voltatrucks.com
PR Manager
00 44 7342 930981
Chess Turton
Chess.Turton@voltatrucks.com
Press & Communications Executive
00 44 7384 393948
Duncan Forrester
Duncan.Forrester@voltatrucks.com
Chief Communications Officer
00 44 7768 877877
General Enquiries
press@voltatrucks.com
