While it could be one of the worst kept secrets ever, the world of automobile transportation (which includes heavy trucks and rigs) is progressively going electric.

Shocker right? (See what we did there 😉 Here at Gerrys Truck Centre one of the first questions out of every prospective electric Volvo rig buyer’s mouth is…

“How far can these things go on a full charge?”

While it’s a perfectly fair question that we’re happy to answer there are some variables that come into play before we can give an answer. The first variable to consider is it depends on the vehicle model you choose. The second variable to consider is it depends on the number of batteries the vehicle is equipped with. There is a third variable to consider, and that is your driving habits and behaviours (we’ll discuss that in detail in another post but just know that how you drive will absolutely impact driving distance on a single charge).

Ok, we’ll start with the vehicle models.

When it comes to the models available, Volvo currently offers the following configurations in its VNR electric lineup…

• 4 x 2 Straight truck (four wheels, two drive)
• 6 x 4 Straight truck
• 4 x 2 Tractor
• 6 x 2 Tractor
• 6 x 4 Tractor

Naturally the bigger the rig, the less distance it will travel on a single charge. Second, when it comes to the number of batteries in the rig, Volvo is currently offering two options, four or six batteries. Probably not surprisingly, more batteries equate into more distance. But to get back to the question of how far can these rigs travel on a single charge the answer will range anywhere from about two hundred and eighty kilometers on a single charge to over four hundred and forty kilometers.

Depending upon the model and configuration you choose, you could drive from London to Toronto and back again on a single charge.

Once we’ve answered that question, the next question that invariably comes is “okay, and how long is the charging time?”. Again, the answer comes back to variables. Depending upon the number of batteries your rig has (so whether you opted for the four or six battery option we mentioned a moment ago) in as little as sixty minutes you can charge these rigs back up to eighty percent. Meaning the charging time is extremely fast.

At the end of the day with these options, you can choose between trucks and rigs with a max gross combination weight of up to eighty-two thousand pounds, so they can haul with the best of them.