Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Volvo VNR Electric Truck to Hit the Market Dec. 3

Volvo Trucks North America announced it will begin selling the Volvo VNR Electric truck model on Dec. 3. It will start producing the VNR Electric at its New River Valley manufacturing plant in Dublin, Virginia, in early 2021.

November 5, 2020
Volvo VNR Electric Truck to Hit the Market Dec. 3

Volvo will release more details on the VNR Electric and open up the order board on Dec. 3.

Photo: Volvo Trucks North America

3 min to read


Volvo Trucks North America announced it will begin selling the Volvo VNR Electric truck model on Dec. 3. It will start producing the VNR Electric at its New River Valley manufacturing plant in Dublin, Virginia, in early 2021.

“Volvo Trucks is committed to lead the commercial transport industry towards more sustainable solutions by advancing electromobility. We will continue to invest in and drive the development of this technology, both globally and right here in North America,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America. “We are excited to bring the Volvo VNR Electric to the market in just a few weeks.”

Ad Loading...

Volvo Trucks, as a global organization, announced the same day at the Volvo Group Capital Markets Day that it will offer a complete range of electric heavy-duty trucks in Europe in 2021. This will be followed by the development of electric vehicles for heavy long-haul operations, including battery-electric and fuel-cell electric trucks with a longer range. Volvo Trucks plans to start selling electric trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells in the second half of this decade, and the objective is to have a fossil-free product range by 2040. 

More details on the truck are scheduled to be released on Dec. 3.

Volvo initially announced in late 2018 that it planned to sell an all-electric truck called the Volvo VNR Electric in North America by 2020. While plans were somewhat delayed by the Coronavirus pandemic, the company forged ahead with its electric-truck development project.

Ad Loading...

In June, it deployed the first Volvo VNR Electric in Southern California as part of the Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) project, and has since been rolling out additional pilot trucks with fleets such as NFI Industries and Dependable Supply Chain Services.

Watch: On the Spot with Volvo's Electric VNR [Video]

In a September 2019 walk-around, when trucking reporters got their first look at the first demonstration units being deployed in drayage operations in the Los Angeles region, Volvo officials explained the truck had a two-speed transmission with two electric motors to give 16% gradability.

“As part of the very successful Volvo LIGHTS project [Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions], which we started in 2019 in Southern California in collaboration with 14 other pioneering organizations, we validated the viability and reliability of the Volvo VNR Electric in real-world operations and proved what it takes to create a holistic, end-to-end electromobility solution to drive true sustainability in the trucking industry,” said Voorhoeve. “We are fully confident in bringing this new technology to the commercial market.”

The Volvo LIGHTS project will continue in 2021. Volvo Trucks North America was recently awarded $20 million in grants to deploy 70 VNR Electric trucks with fleets in southern California as part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Targeted Air Shed Grant Program, plus $1.7 million in charging infrastructure funding from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The trucks will be delivered to a handful of Southern California fleet operators in 2021, with the program ending in the third quarter of 2022. Volvo Trucks is committed to delivering close to 100 VNR Electric trucks to the area.

More Equipment

Video still of Volvo's Duane Tegels explaining the Volvo D13 diesel engine for EPA 2027 emissions
Equipmentby Deborah LockridgeSeptember 16, 2026

How Volvo Updated Its D13 for EPA 2027 [Watch]

Volvo’s updated D13 promises lower emissions without sacrificing performance or fuel economy. Take a closer look at what changed inside the engine in this HDT Spotlight video.

Read More →
Photo of new Michelin drive tire
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseSeptember 15, 2026

Michelin Tire Improves Efficiency and Durability for Regional Fleets

The Michelin X Multi Energy D2 is a regional haul drive tire engineered to help fleets improve fuel efficiency, durability and traction in demanding stop-and-go operations.

Read More →
Presentation slide showing ZF's North American market growth
Equipmentby Deborah LockridgeSeptember 10, 2026

ZF Expands Commercial Vehicle Push in North America

ZF is expanding its North American commercial-vehicle presence with new transmission applications, electrification, trailer technology and autonomous-driving systems.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Tesla Semi electric truck with interior of Tesla Cybercab superimposed on top
Equipmentby Deborah LockridgeSeptember 8, 2026

Tesla Wants a Self-Driving Semi. Are Cameras Enough?

Could Tesla’s camera-only autonomous driving technology work on an 80,000-pound Semi? In this commentary, HDT's Deborah Lockridge takes a look at Tesla, Cybercab, and how autonomous trucks see the road.

Read More →
Red highway tractor pulling white trailer with red logo identifying Kodiak.
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseSeptember 8, 2026

Kodiak: Driverless Long-Haul Truck Launch on Track for 2026

Kodiak AI says its driverless long-haul safety case is 93% complete and it remains on track to begin commercial operations by year-end 2026.

Read More →
Collage of five autonomous trucks
Safety & Complianceby Deborah LockridgeSeptember 8, 2026

What DOT’s Automated Vehicle Strategy Means for Trucking

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a new automated-vehicle strategy that outlines plans for driverless-truck regulations, cross-state freight corridors, and federal safety standards.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Port of Newark EV truck charging station.
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseSeptember 8, 2026

East Coast Port Launches $45M Electric Truck Push

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced millions in incentives for zero-emission drayage trucks, yard tractors, and new charging hubs near the port.

Read More →
PlusAI autonomous truck with trailer going down a highway
Equipmentby StaffSeptember 3, 2026

PlusAI Going Public to Fund Autonomous Truck Launch

A SPAC deal could provide PlusAI with up to $300 million as it works toward a 2027 commercial launch of factory-built autonomous trucks.

Read More →
Faded sketch of diesel engines on a factory floor with NHTSA logo superimposed on top
Equipmentby Deborah LockridgeAugust 31, 2026

NHTSA Moves to Rewrite Truck Fuel-Economy Rules

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it lacks authority to regulate medium- and heavy-duty truck engines separately from complete vehicles, but the existing standards have not yet been eliminated.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration of Freightliner Cascadia on highway with engine cutaway
Equipmentby Deborah LockridgeAugust 27, 2026

Detroit Opens Orders for EPA 2027 Engines

Detroit isn’t starting from scratch to meet EPA 2027 diesel emissions standards. Its Gen 6 DD13 and DD15 engines keep much of today’s platform while updating the fuel and aftertreatment systems.

Read More →