Volvo Trucks is the first global manufacturer to start selling large electric trucks in South Korea. Korean transportation companies can purchase three models of electric trucks from Volvo, and it is expected to contribute to achieving the government’s climate goal of carbon neutrality.
South Korea has a national plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and electric transport will play a significant role in meeting this objective.
“I believe now is the right time to initiate the sale of large electric trucks in South Korea,” said Per Ekholm, President of Volvo Trucks International. He added, “Since large trucks hold over 22% of the market share in Korea, Volvo Trucks will play an essential role by introducing electric trucks to reduce CO2 emissions in the transportation sector.”
Since commencing production of fully electric trucks in 2019, Volvo Trucks has sold over 4,300 electric trucks in more than 38 countries and aims to have 50% of new trucks sold globally be electric by 2030.
Volvo Trucks is the first global manufacturer to begin mass production of large electric trucks with a gross combination weight (GCW) of 44 tons. They have launched a total of six electric truck models, boasting the most extensive lineup in the industry, three of which will be sold domestically.
Volvo Trucks foresees diverse electric transport needs across various locations in Korea, such as urban deliveries, waste collection, inter-regional transport, and construction sites.
According to statistics in Europe, logistics transport needs with daily driving distances under 300 km account for about half of the total. This indicates that a considerable number of logistics transported by electric trucks can be covered with charging from the starting point.
Per Ekholm noted, “Most countries, including Europe, face similar situations. Most logistics occur within short distances where electric trucks operate very effectively. If the public charging network expands, we can expect a significant increase in electrified transport.”
Various factors influence the pace of the transition to electric trucks.
Per Ekholm emphasized, “It is a very clear fact that government decisions affect the rate of electrification in any country. At Volvo Trucks, we’ve confirmed that in major countries leading the transition to electric trucks, comprehensive factors such as incentives like subsidies, as well as tax and environmental regulations, accelerate the adoption of electric trucks.”
By Sang-Jin Lee, daedusj@autodiary.kr