The fleet of Volvo Trucks battery electric vehicles in commercial operation in South Africa has now travelled more than 250 000 km.

The kilometres accumulated so far have been achieved using Volvo's current generation of extra-heavy electric truck models, first introduced in South Africa in 2023.

“While a quarter-of-a-million kilometres may seem modest compared with the more than 400-million kilometres already accumulated by Volvo electric trucks globally, it represents a significant achievement in the South African context, where the majority of Volvo electric trucks are operating on shorter route and urban distribution applications,” says Volvo Trucks South Africa (VTSA) sustainable solutions senior manager Eric Parry.

“This milestone reflects the confidence customers have placed in Volvo Trucks' electric transport solutions and demonstrates that battery-electric trucks are successfully meeting the demands of daily commercial operations.”

The average distance across all the vehicles operating in South Africa is 2 000 km a month, with the highest units running consistently at 10 000 km a month.

Average consumption across all the units sits at 1.77 kWh/km, which includes small eight-tonner 4x2 units with five- to seven-ton payloads, all the way up to 6x4 tractors with interlink trailers and 32 t-plus in payload.

Parry describes the results as encouraging.

“Our customers have embraced this technology with a willingness to learn, adapt and pioneer new ways of operating.”

Beyond the distance travelled, the 250 000 km milestone also provides practical insight into charging strategies, vehicle utilisation, uptime requirements and driver experience under real South African operating conditions.

All the customer fleets with Volvo electric trucks are charging the units at a depot or a loading/off-loading area, and have invested in their own chargers, says Parry.

Their charging strategies consist of both slow overnight charges and fast top-ups, and depend on each operation’s unique requirements.

“One of the most satisfying aspects of this journey has been seeing electric trucks move from being a future concept, to becoming part of everyday transport operations,” says Parry. “Every kilometre travelled helps build confidence in the technology and strengthens the business case for broader adoption.”

VTSA is already looking ahead to the next phase of its electromobility journey.

Later this year, VTSA parent company, Volvo Trucks, will introduce its new generation of electric trucks offering longer operating range and additional power options.

“The trucks currently operating in South Africa are laying an important foundation for what comes next,” says Parry.

“With increased range and capability on the horizon, we are excited about the opportunities the next generation of electric trucks will bring.”