Volvo Trucks has just revealed their new all-electric autonomous truck, the Volvo Vera. In a bold new step forward, Volvo has stripped the self driving truck down to the bare essentials, and has forgone the inclusion of a cab entirely.
The Volvo Vera stands is the Swedish automaker’s exciting take on the potential future of autonomous shipping.
In a statement issued by Volvo, the Vera will come equipped with 300 kWh battery capacity with a maximum range estimated to be around 186 miles. The autonomous truck was also reported as having motors with a maximum power rating of almost 500 horsepower.
In order to monitor battery capacity, service requirements, cargo, and current location, the Vera will be linked to a cloud service that will be inspected while on the road.
Claes Nilsson, President of Volvo Trucks, had the following to say in regards to the idea behind the Vera:
“The full potential of the transport industry is yet to be seen. Everything suggests that the global need for transportation will continue to significantly increase in the coming decade. If we are to meet this demand in a sustainable and efficient way, we must find new solutions. In order to secure a smoothly functioning goods flow system we also need to exploit existing infrastructure better than currently. The transport system we are developing can be an important complement to today’s solutions and can help meet many of the challenges faced by society, transport companies and transport buyers.”
If all goes well, Volvo claims that the autonomous truck would be an efficient solution to ever-growing shipping demands, while also helping to cut down on the amount of excess stock companies would need to keep on hand.
Mikael Karlsson, Vice President of Autonomous Solutions, added the following:
“Our system can be seen as an extension of the advanced logistics solutions that many industries already apply today. Since we use autonomous vehicles with no exhaust emissions and low noise, their operation can take place at any time of day or night. The solution utilises existing road infrastructure and load carriers, making it easier to recoup costs and allowing for integration with existing operations”
While without a doubt a truly ambitious idea, Volvo has yet to set a date for implementing their new technology. We imagine that the Volvo Vera is currently entangled in a slew of legislative and logistical issues at the moment, so it is unclear when we might see the autonomous truck take to the road.
