With 84 votes, the FH Electric fought off stiff competition from the Mercedes-Benz eActros 300/400 and Scania's 45S battery electric truck. The other electric nominee was the FUSO eCanter, while the only diesel nominee was the DAF XDC/XFC construction series.
Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks, was presented with the trophy during the press day of Solutrans, the biennial trade fair for haulage and urban transport professionals, in Lyon, France.
The International Truck of the Year (IToY) judges praised the Volvo's performance, smooth acceleration, quietness and vibration-free behavior of the high-efficiency electric powertrain, which is based on two or three electric motors of 330 kW or 490 kW continuous power, coupled with the latest generation I-Shift transmission. The wide range of axle configurations for tractors and rigid trucks, the availability of four cab versions, and the modular range of battery packs - from two to six - depending on customer requirements, have also been key factors in the success of the truck.
Speaking at the gala event, IToY chairman Gianenrico Griffini declared: "With the introduction of the FH Electric, Volvo Trucks has delivered a state-of-the-art BEV range, suitable for a wide array of transport operations. It's proof that energy transition is gaining strength even in today's challenging business environment.”
Based on the IToY rules, the annual award is given to the truck launched in the previous 12 months that makes the most significant contribution to road transport efficiency. This judgment is based on several critical criteria, including technological innovation, comfort, safety, driveability, energy efficiency, environmental footprint and total cost of ownership.
The IToY jury is made up of 24 commercial vehicle editors and senior journalists representing 24 major trucking magazines across Europe.
Source: Commercial Motor
