With the spotlight shining brightly on EVs in the traditional car and truck market, it can be easy to forget that the technology is also making waves in the commercial sector, with several startup companies aiming to make their mark in this hotly contested slice of the electric vehicle market. One of those companies is Volta Trucks. Volta is a relatively new firm but is out to make a mark in the commercial sector. The company recently announced a big milestone with the firm securing battery supplier Proterra for its Volta Zero EV truck.
Proterra Provides The Juice For Volta Zero
The firm has chosen Proterra to help supply the batteries needed to help give the Volta Zero the juice needed to achieve its mission. Proterra’s contribution also helps serve a secondary role for the supplier, with the Volta contract allowing the U.S.-based firm to access the European market for the first time.
Volta reps claim that the Proterra sourced battery will allow their rig to go up to 200 km (124 miles) on a single charge, which would be enough to allow the Volta Zero to fulfill its role as an urban freight solution. This will also allow the truck to handle some of the stop-and-go traffic in bustling urban centers, especially those with some form of charging network in place to help the truck charge up when it’s not out on deliveries.
The Proterra sourced battery is a proven technology in its own right, with the battery system logging over 17 million miles of use in the company’s own lineup of transit vehicles and other applications, including school buses, construction equipment, and delivery vans.
Proterra CEO Jack Allen was pleased with the agreement revealing, “Embracing clean, quiet transportation for all, not only benefits how we move people around cities and towns but also how we provide goods and services to the communities we live in. Proterra is excited to work with Volta trucks as we accelerate the transition to 100% clean transportation and deliver Proterra powered clean energy vehicles to communities across Europe.”
Meanwhile, Volta Trucks CEO Robert Fowler was also excited about the future and released a separate statement revealing, “I’m delighted to welcome Proterra – a world-class innovative engineering partner – to the supply chain for the Volta Zero. When talking to our extensive group of customers, vehicle range is uppermost in their minds as it sits at the heart of the vehicle’s ability to deliver for them. It was therefore imperative that we work with an industry-leader to ensure the quality, longevity, and safe performance of the battery. Proterra’s cutting-edge but well-proven battery technology perfectly delivers all of this for us and our customers.”
What does This Mean For The U.S.?
While today’s announcement will be largely focused on the European market (Volta has not revealed any plans for a U.S. distribution network at the moment), ripples from this endeavor could still make an impact in other regards. As mentioned earlier, the agreement with Volta will be the first time that Proterra has entered the European market, and the additional real-world opportunities for their batteries to get some additional testing could help the company build better battery technology, especially if a young EV firm in the U.S. wants Proterra batteries for their truck offerings.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.