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Leading truck manufacturer Volvo Trucks is pioneering a path for the heavy transport hauling industry to go all-electric. The company delivered an electric truck for heavy transport in Sweden that can handle a total weight of 74 tons. Impressively – Volvo’s heavy-duty electric truck runs 12 hours a day, with one charging stop along the way.

If you pass by a heavy- or medium-duty truck on the highway, there’s a good chance it’s built by Volvo Trucks.

The company has been blazing new paths for the trucking industry since its foundation in 1927. With innovations like the three-point safety harness, unique designs to optimize efficiency, and the first fully integrated sleeper compartment, Volvo Trucks continues to make the industry safer and more sustainable for all.

Since Volvo introduced its first fully electric commercial truck in 2019, the FL Electric, the company has continued evolving by introducing models in new categories with more power and longer ranges.

Volvo Trucks has the broadest portfolio, with six EV truck models in series production. With its early vision paying off, Volvo landed its largest order last month from Hocim to supply 1,000 EV trucks by the end of the decade.

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Volvo’s electric truck lineup (Source: Volvo Trucks)

Volvo delivers an electric truck that hauls for 12 hours a day

This week, Volvo achieved another milestone by providing three heavy electric Volvo FH trucks to Mattson Åkeri in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Volvo has been testing one of the trucks, a Volvo FH Electric 6X4, for the past few weeks in container traffic in what’s called a High-Capacity Transports (HCT) test. HTC allows for a larger load to be transported per vehicle.

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Volvo FH Electric (Source: Volvo Trucks)

The electric truck can handle 74 tons of weight with two 32-meter-long trailers. Lena Larsson, project manager of the HCT project at Volvo’s tech unit, explains:

We want to show that all-electric solutions also work in applications with high total weights and a high utilization rate. Together with Mattson Åkeri, the Swedish Transport Administration and several other partners, we are now looking at how we can optimize the operation of the electric truck, including how charging should take place in the most efficient way.

The electric truck is charged with green electricity from two fast 180 kW chargers installed in the company’s depot in Arendal. Looking ahead, the truck will also run from Gothenburg to the city of Borås, a 43-mile (70 km) commute.

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Volvo FH Electric (Source: Volvo Trucks)

Europe has several ongoing or scheduled HTC projects with the idea that it will help lower transport costs while reducing the environmental impact. In Finland, for example, trucks are allowed to drive with 76 tons of total weight.

Mattson Åkeri has enjoyed the electric trucks so far, as CEO Jan-Olof Mattsson explained:

Driving long and heavy loads using electricity works very well so far, and we can carry as much cargo as a diesel truck.

He added:

The truck runs 12 hours a day, with a stop for charging when the driver takes a break. We charge with green electricity and thus get no CO2 emissions. Silent, electric operation also means a better working environment for the driver.

Since introducing its first in 2019, Volvo has sold nearly 5,000 electric trucks in 40 countries. The company aims to continue pushing the industry forward as it targets 50% of total truck sales to be electric by 2030.

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Honda to unveil sporty new electric motorcycle in September

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Honda to unveil sporty new electric motorcycle in September

Honda is set to pull the covers off a new electric motorcycle on September 2, teasing the upcoming reveal with camouflaged images on the brand’s social media. The upcoming unveiling is sparking speculation that this could be one of the first models in Honda’s long-promised push into more powerful motorcycle electrification.

The teasers show the shape of a motorcycle with fairly conventional proportions, including a two-up seat, standard riding posture, single-sided rear swingarm, and no visible foot-forward scooter ergonomics, which suggests this will be an honest-to-goodness motorcycle rather than an e-scooter. The bodywork looks sporty but subdued, lacking the aggressive fairings of a supersport, which may point to a street-oriented commuter or naked bike. In fact, it looks a lot like the EV Fun Concept unveiled by Honda last October in Milan, seen above.

Street commuter bikes are common among electric motorcycle makers. They capitalize on the strengths of electric drivetrains without requiring the long range associated with touring motorcycles. It’s a move we’ve seen play out time and again among brands like Can-Am, Kawasaki, Ryvid, and others who have produced smaller, urban-focused electric motorcycles in the last few years.

This aligns with Honda’s previously stated plans. The company announced years ago that it would introduce at least 10 electric motorcycle models by 2025, ranging from commuter vehicles to high-performance machines. So far, its progress has been modest, with small-scale launches focused around electric scooters and prototype testbeds like the CR Electric motocross bike.

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Whispers from Honda have hinted at an upcoming street bike, and some observers believe this new model could be the production version of that EV Fun Concept from EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show. Whether it uses Honda’s swappable batteries like the EM1 e: remains to be seen, but it’s likely to target daily riders in urban markets rather than aiming for long-range touring or high-speed sport performance.

Honda has been characteristically cautious in its entry into the electric space, especially compared to startup rivals and brands like Zero, LiveWire, and Ryvid. But the September 2 reveal may signal a new chapter as the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer finally takes electric motorcycles more seriously.

We’ll be watching closely to see what Honda brings to the table, especially as legacy brands start feeling pressure from both regulators and riders to electrify their lineups.

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Report: Ferrari were SO impressed by the Xiaomi SU7, they bought one

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Report: Ferrari were SO impressed by the Xiaomi SU7, they bought one

With its tire-blistering acceleration and record-setting performance, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra has been getting attention throughout the auto industry, impressing everyone who’s seen it. That “everyone” now seems to include the OG supercar brand, itself.

CarNewsChina posted pictures from a Weibo user that reportedly show a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra exiting the storied Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. According to a Chinese blogger going by 西米露在博洛尼亚 (which seems to translate to “Sago Dessert in Bologna”), the prancing horse brand is actively benchmarking the Chinese hypercar for its own upcoming EV.

The SU7 Ultra was definitely coming from inside Ferrari’s facility. After verification, we learned this specific vehicle was officially purchased by Ferrari for testing, and the development of their next-generation electric platform.

西米露在博洛尼亚

Yet another Chinese auto blogger, 苏黎世贝勒爷, claims that Ferrari representatives visited Xiaomi headquarters last year, allegedly to discuss the joint development of next-generation high-performance EV motors.

The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra made its debut last year, promising 1,548 hp, sub 2.0-second 0-60 mph times, and a top speed well over 200 mph – all at a price lower than a Tesla Model S Plaid or Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. The car sold out almost immediately after it was unveiled, racking up some 50,000 orders almost overnight.

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The new electric benchmark


Xiaomi SU7 Ultra at Fiorano; via Weibo user Piniluoshan.

In the automotive world, “benchmarking” is a process in which car companies systematically tear down each others’ competitive products to compare everything from sound insulation, vehicle ride and handling, component materials, and even manufacturing methods against their own or against other industry leaders. The goal is to evaluate performance, cost, quality, and other key metrics, effectively figuring out “where they stand” in the market.

If Ferrari really did buy an SU7 to benchmark it against their own upcoming electric supercar, it’s more than just a curiosity – it could mean that the highest tiers of automotive innovation have shifted from West to East. Maybe forever.

Featured image via Xiaomi; sources throughout the post.


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Chevy teases new Bolt w/NACS, front fascia redesign, rear brake lights

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Chevy teases new Bolt w/NACS, front fascia redesign, rear brake lights

We’re finally getting our first teases of the upgraded 2027 Chevy Bolt, built on GM’s battery/motor platform formerly known as Ultium. So far, so good for the vehicle, which will be revealed later this Fall.

Chevy took to social media today to tease the 2027 Chevy Bolt, saying, “You asked, we listened. The #ChevyBolt is back and better than ever. More this fall. 👀”

Chevy ended the original Bolt program with the 2023 model, which was loved by a loyal group of customers (including myself). Some of the major gripes, including charging speed and rear brake lights, already look to be addressed. Also, a new more aggressive fascia is debuting.

Electrek’s take

GM has done an incredible job keeping the 2027 Bolt under wraps. It will be the first GM vehicle with a native NACS port after the Cadillac Optiq-V, which we spied in Seattle last week.

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Hopefully, the new Bolt will have improved charging speeds over and above the 54kW that previous Bolts adhered to. One possible downgrade is that the old Bolt’s amazing wireless CarPlay/Android Auto system will likely be replaced by GM’s move to Android’s built-in experience. For a few years, the Chevy Bolt was the most affordable long-range EV, and it won our 2022 Electrek car of the year for its versatility and price.

I would, of course, like to see the new Bolt as a hot hatchback, but GM CEO Mary Barra has hinted that it will likely take more of the EUV’s SUV form factor. Things like AWD options, SuperCruise, pricing, power and range are yet to be revealed, but stay tuned to Electrek for the latest on Bolt developments.

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