Concrete mixer trucks are essential for transporting ready-mix concrete to construction sites but also contribute to air pollution and noise levels. That's why Volvo Trucks and Cemex, a global leader in building materials, have teamed up to develop and deploy the world's first fully electric heavy-duty concrete mixer truck.
Based on the Volvo FMX Electric designed for the construction industry, the vehicle was delivered to Cemex's ready-mix concrete plant in Berlin-Spandau on February 9th. The electric truck will deliver concrete to customers in urban areas, where low emissions and low noise are especially important.
"The electrification of such concrete mixers is a challenge due to the heavy loads and the continuous mixing processes," explained Volvo Trucks. "As transport with commercial electric vehicles gradually increases, Volvo Trucks and Cemex are working to develop and scale up the technologies necessary to make zero-emission transport a reality even in the demanding construction industry."
The Volvo FMX Electric concrete mixer truck has four battery packs with a total energy capacity of 360 kWh. Depending on the application, this should be enough for a whole working day or can be supplemented by charging during regular breaks. The vehicle is powered by two electric motors with a total output of 330 kW (449 hp). The locally emission-free concrete mixer has a capacity of nine cubic meters and also draws its energy from the high-voltage batteries of the Volvo FMX Electric.
"The construction sector is one of the areas where we can drastically reduce emissions and noise levels with our electric trucks," said Peter Ström, Managing Director of Volvo Trucks in Germany. "We are happy and proud that the first Volvo FMX Electric of its kind is celebrating its world premiere and being used here in Germany."
Cemex is also enthusiastic about the collaboration with Volvo Trucks. "We are very pleased that we can now use an electrically powered truck for our deliveries," said Rüdiger Kuhn, Managing Director of Cemex Deutschland AG. "This underlines our commitment to reducing CO2 emissions along our entire value chain."
The delivery of the first electric concrete mixer truck is part of a global agreement signed between Volvo Trucks and Cemex in 2021 on collaborating on electromobility solutions to achieve reduced carbon emissions and improved productivity. The two companies plan to test more electric trucks in different markets and applications.
Volvo Trucks has been developing electric trucks since 2017 when it launched its first medium-duty models for urban distribution. Since then, it has expanded its range of electric vehicles to include heavy-duty trucks for regional transport, construction, waste management, forestry, mining, fire-fighting, airport services, public transport, emergency services, refrigerated transport, food distribution, postal services, parcel delivery, courier services, furniture delivery, moving services, landscaping services, gardening services, cleaning services, laundry services, catering services, vending machine services. By 2030, Volvo Trucks aims to have at least half of its sales come from battery-electric vehicles.
Volvo Trucks' vision is to drive progress towards zero emissions by offering customers tailor-made solutions that meet their specific needs while reducing their environmental impact. By delivering its first electric concrete mixer truck to Cemex, Volvo Trucks has taken another step towards making this vision a reality. @via Volvo Trucks.
