Logistics service providers, DB Schenker, has been presented the first pilot Volta Zero truck taking part in the European field test.
The company visited the Volta Trucks’ contract manufacturing facility in Steyr, Austria, to see the final prototype generation of the all-electric Volta Zero truck in pre-production.
The prototype will be one of a fleet of test trucks which the company will operate as part of a European field trial, according to DB Schenker.
DB Schenker reports that the fleet of trucks will be used in DB Schenker’s European terminals to transport goods from distribution hubs to the city centres and urban areas.
Some 150 Volta Trucks will be handed over to DB Schenker in 2023.
Cyrille Bonjean, Head of Land Transport at DB Schenker Europe, said: “With the onboarding of the first 150 Volta Zero series production vehicles, we will be able to deliver emission-free with more than 330 eTrucks from 7.5 tonnes to 19 tonnes in 124 cities across 22 countries plus around 70 cargo bikes – an e-fleet unmatched in the freight forwarding market.”
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In September 2022, DB Schenker and Volta Trucks successfully completed the very first on-road testing of the all-electric Volta Zero Design Verification prototype in Paris.
This was part of an engineering development phase where no load could be carried.
The next phase of testing will enable DB Schenker to operate the Volta Zero in real distribution environments carrying full payloads, according to the company.
DB Schenker will be operating these test vehicles in 18 different cities across Europe and Scandinavia, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway.
This announcement comes in the same month that Deutsche Bahn selected Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Deutsche Bank to run a sale of its logistics arm for up to €20 billion ($21.1 billion).
