Volvo Trucks Malaysia (Volvo Trucks) has officially debuted its fully electric heavy duty prime movers in Malaysia, the first electric heavy duty prime mover to be launched in the Southeast Asia region.
Further to the reveal, Volvo Trucks also secured its first adopters, integrated logistics provider, Swift Haulage Berhad. The announcement spotlights the Swedish truck maker’s role in accelerating the industry’s transition to electromobility, in line with the nation’s net zero carbon ambitions.
“Sustainability is our reality and the transition to electricity is not a matter of choice but a
demand of the times. Our leadership in electromobility demonstrates Volvo Trucks’; commitment to people and safety as well as carbon reduction in terms of environmental
protection," explains Volvo Trucks International Vice President, Truck Sales and Marketing, Johan Selvėn.
“The transportation and logistics segments are critical areas to address in the race towards
net zero carbon. We are thrilled to introduce the technology behind our fully electric prime
movers which supports low climate impact, enhances safety for road users and creates a
better working environment for drivers.
While the road to decarbonization is challenging, we continue to share our expertise around sustainable energy adoption and addressing infrastructure challenges through our government and industry partnerships,” said Volvo Trucks Malaysia Managing Director, Anthony O’Connell.
Decarbonizing the transportation and logistics segment
In its overview presentation of the industry, Volvo Trucks highlighted that the emissions from one heavy-duty truck are equivalent to emissions from up to 47 units of passenger vehicles.
The comparative analysis indicated a greater need for stakeholders at the policy level
through to the operational level to design an electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem that is
conducive and attractive to players in the transportation and logistics segment.
“The Government is aware that the adoption for commercial EVs such as trucks and busses
is still low in Malaysia. As such, we commend Volvo Trucks’ leadership, commitment and
investment in making the logistics industry more sustainable, particularly in supporting our
New Industrial Master Plan 2030’s net zero agenda.
Volvo Trucks’ technology-sharing will also help advance the collective knowledge on commercial EV’s in Malaysia, paving the way for a more vibrant EV industry that could tap into ASEAN’s USD2.7-billion EV potential by 2027, enhance our domestic SME EV supply chain and provide higher-paying jobs for Malaysians,” said Tengku Zafrul.
“On this front, we thank Volvo Trucks for your continuous efforts to help the segment in its
transition to adopt greener commercial vehicle fleets,” YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
“Sustainability is and has always been a top priority for Swift. I am proud to announce that
Swift will be the first haulage company in Malaysia to acquire and incorporate electric prime
movers into our fleet. We believe this technology will revolutionize the industry, and we are
excited to lead the way towards a brighter, more efficient, and greener future. Looking
forward, we are committed to convert the majority of our fleet to EVs by 2030,” Swift
Haulage Berhad Group Chief Executive Officer, Loo Yong Hui.
Designed for a greener industry, improved working environment for drivers
The official launch marked the entry of the Volvo FM, FH, and FMX fully electric models. The
Volvo electric prime movers are designed with multiple axel configurations for various
applications and segments. This is mirrored by variable battery configurations available with a total energy storage of up to ~540kWh.
The trucks also have a projected travel range of up to 300km. With regards to charging, an alternating current (AC) on-board charger (43 kW) will require an estimated ten hours to charge the battery from empty to full. Meanwhile, with a direct current (DC) charger (max 250 kW), charging time can be reduced to just under two hours.
