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Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / November 6, 2019 Hailing it as a “major breakthrough” in emissions-era engine oils, Chevron announced that its new Delo 600 ADF heavy duty engine oil drastically reduces the rate of diesel particulate (DPF) clogging by 60%. At a press conference at the Chevron Technology Center in Richmond, California, on November 5, 2019, a panel of Chevron researchers and scientists unveiled the new engine oil, while speaking at length on its development cycle, which began in 2008 as the first Federally-mandated diesel exhaust emissions regulations were ramping up. In the Tier II emissions regulations, which went into effect in 2010, heavy-duty truck OEMs and engine builders opted to treat downstream diesel exhaust with a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, which sprayed hot engine gases with a urea solution known was Diesel Exhaust Fluid, to convert nitrous oxides (NOx) into harmless nitrogen and water. However, one trade-off to SCR is that high temperatures required in the aftertreatment system created soot, which is captured in, and eventually clogs the system’s DPF. As it turns out, according to James Booth, North American commercial segment manager for Chevron, soot in the DPF is the remnant of small amounts of metal such as copper, zinc and magnesium, which have been used in detergent additive packages to engine oils for almost a century. Inside an engine, these metals can serve as “scrubbers” to help remove corrosion, or they can coat worn areas, replacing surfaces worn down by high heat and friction from moving components. DPFs collect up to 98% of particulate matter emissions in the form of ash & soot. A regeneration cycle combusts most of the soot from the DPF. The ash is incombustible material left over from metallic lubricant additives. Over time, ash builds up to the point that it clogs the DPF, forcing fleets to take units out of service to either service or replace it. If too much soot and ash builds up, the large amount of heat produced upon regeneration can result in DPF damage, with replacements costing up to $7,000. DPF clogging increases engine back pressure, and regeneration cycles, resulting in a higher fuel consumption. Even routine DPF maintenance procedures cost fleets downtime and typically cost around $1,000.00, Booth noted. Beginning in 2008, based on an off-hand remark by an engineer at a major truck OEM, Chevron began a joint research effort across several of its business units to see if an alternative to using metals in oil additive packages was feasible. The result is the new Delo 600 ADF oil with Omnimax, which Chevron said delivers maximum system protection to both the engine and the emissions system. According to Booth, current heavy-duty engine oils are formulated up to the API CK-4 limit of 1% sulfated ash. Chevron’s Delo 600 ADF is formulated to 0.4% sulfated ash which helps drastically reduce the rate of DPF clogging, to deliver extended DPF service life and industry redefining fuel economy retention. “Chevron has taken a customer-forward approach by realizing early on, the extent of the problems caused by the integration of hardware to address the latest emissions regulations and current HDEOs, and today we’re announcing a new solution” Booth said. “Delo 600 ADF significantly reduces the rate of DPF clogging, extending DPF service life by up to 2.5 times, and bringing a 3% fuel economy retention advantage over the life of the equipment, delivering significant savings to customers.” Moreover, according to Willem van Dam, manager, product development for Chevron, the new oil has shown “remarkable” performance in a series of OEM validation tests, including doubling the length of the T13 Volvo Engine Oil Oxidation Test. “We ran that test for 720 hours without any component failures or undue wear,” van Dam noted. “And that is really quite incredible.” Delo 600 ADF meets or exceeds API CK-4 & OEM specifications, van Dam added, noting that the oil has demonstrated excellent oxidation stability in industry, OEM and field tests, providing the opportunity to extend engine oil drain intervals. Sharing the durability legacy of Delo 400 products, Delo 600 ADF also has delivered excellent valve-train wear protection and piston deposit performance. “But oil’s reduction in ash build-up in the DPF is something that fleets can begin benefiting from immediately,” van Dam said. “Fleets that use Delo 600 ADF for the next oil fill will immediately begin reducing the amount of ash build up in their trucks’ DPFs.” Van dam also said that some long-haul fleets using Delo 600 ADF in newly-purchased trucks, could see exhaust system aftertreatment systems become a “hands off” item from a maintenance standpoint. “Most DPF maintenance is performed at around the 1-million-mile mark,” he said. “So, this depends on the amount of miles a fleet runs, and how long its trade cycle is. But in some cases, we believe there will be no need for fleets to touch the exhaust system for maintenance before it sells the truck.” Booth noted that the implications of a new oil able to reduce DPF clogging by 60% could have ramifications for the next-generation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions engines currently under development for 2023. “Engine manufacturers will not need DPFs to be as large as they currently are,” he said. “So, we believe OEMs will be able to use smaller, lighter DPFs on these next generation engines.” The full Delo 600 ADF line consists of: Delo 600 ADF 15W-40 Delo 600 ADF 10W-30 The new engine oil will be available on Dec. 2, 2019.

JIm Park, Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT) / November 7, 2019 Truck makers and technology proponents have been dancing around the fringes of harnessing kinetic energy for some time. Regenerative braking is the best example, but its most effective applications are local and regional trucks with higher exposures to stop-and-go driving. At the North American Commercial Vehicle Show in late October in Atlanta, ConMet showed off its new PreSet Plus Electric Hub (eHub), a motor/generator packaged to mount at the wheel-end within the existing space between the axle spindle and the brake shoes. ConMet says the eHub can be developed to be placed within hybrid or fully electric commercial vehicle applications. It uses off-the-shelf brake components, so no custom brake components are required. As a modular design, it can be packaged with existing axle configurations. “We were able to leverage our hub technology expertise and essentially package the motor within a slightly modified version of a hub that we already make,” Caleb Lander, ConMet's product manager for electrification, told HDT in an interview. “We use a drum brake as our braking system because it allows the eHub to fit nicely behind the wheel and encapsulate the motor.” (While drum brakes continue to lead in the trailer market, ConMet plans to offer an air-disc-brake solution in the future.) A Building Block for Electrification The in-wheel motor/generator concept opens all sorts of doors for electrification. ConMet’s eHub is a flexible electrification system, intended to be a building block that can be dropped into many different applications in the commercial vehicle market. When used as drive motor, the greatest advantage is weight savings. Because the motor drives the wheel directly, it does away with gear boxes and driveshafts and any of the other content found in a centralized drive system. This drives down the total weight of the drivetrain package considerably. “The complete system, which includes the motors, the brakes, the hubs, all the controls, the cooling units, it's going to be at least 1,000 pounds less than an a e-axle,” Lander said. ConMet is pursuing applications across the Class 5 to Class 8 range, including as a "helper axle" on tractors and buses, and in some medium-duty applications in either a hybrid or full-electric configuration. A New Way to Power Trailer Reefer Systems ConMet will initially launch a trailer system, where it can supply power for auxiliary electrical systems on the trailer, as well as replace the diesel engine for trailer reefer systems. “It could be used for practically anything that requires additional power over and above what you would typically have on a trailer,” Lander said. “It’s a plug-and-play system geared toward overall savings to fuel economy and reductions in emissions.” ConMet sees the best fit presently as power for a reefer application on regional or urban delivery routes. Depending on the driving cycles, the eHub, batteries and controllers will supply enough power to run the refrigeration unit throughout the day, cycling on and off, and generating its own power directly from the rotation of the wheels. The eHub integrated controls also allow for regenerative braking mode or propulsion assist mode, enabling the utilization of all the power captured throughout the day to optimize fuel savings – knowing that at the end of the day it can be plugged in again for overnight charging using shore power. “We will keep the battery as topped off as is reasonable based on the route that fleet is running,” Lander said. “If for some reason you have a long stop, for instance, we want to make sure that you have enough power to continue running the reefer while at that stop.” In scenarios where the battery is kept fully charged, eHub energy can be used to power auxilary electrical systems on the trailer, too, allowing for basically silent operation while at a delivery site. That opens up opportunities for delivery times that might be frowned upon due to noise restrictions. “We can eliminate the use of the diesel generator, reducing noise and emissions, which brings other benefits to whoever is running these systems, such as idle reduction and improved fuel efficiency,” Lander said. “These are all really important to fleets nowadays.” The first trailers using ConMet’s eHub are scheduled to hit the road this month, followed by a controlled rollout of early release units beginning in the first quarter of 2020. Production release is slated for the end of 2020. .

Tara Patel, Bloomberg / November 4, 2019 Volkswagen AG’s Traton truck-making division echoed competitors in warning it’s “intensively” preparing for a much more difficult environment next year. While the manufacturer confirmed guidance for this year and reported nine-month unit sales rose 8% to 179,100 vehicles, it said orders have dropped 6%, according to a statement Monday. The gloomier outlook for trucks was flagged last week when VW reported earnings. “The political and macroeconomic situation is becoming more challenging for all of us,” Traton Chief Executive Officer Andreas Renschler said on a conference call with reporters. “Flexibility will be the name of the game.” Traton will look again at its forecasts for 2020 in the new year, he said, without elaborating. An economic downturn is hitting trucks makers faster than expected in Europe and North America. Last month rival Daimler AG lowered its margin guidance for its unit making heavy vehicles. Volvo Group also said it’s readying for more output cuts after forecasting a slump in truck deliveries next year in both regions. Market Debut VW, the world’s largest automaker, pushed through Traton’s stock market debut this year to fuel an ambitious global expansion outside its main European market. The truckmaker makes Sweden’s Scania and Germany’s MAN brands as well as having a subsidiary in Brazil. Investors have remained cautious so far about Traton’s prospects, with some analysts favoring Swedish peer Volvo following a successful restructuring in recent years. Traton gained as much as 3.8%, the steepest intraday increase since Sept. 10, to 23.95 euros as of 12:16 p.m. in Frankfurt, as shares across Europe rose on optimism about U.S. reaching trade deals. The company sold shares for 27 euros each in its June initial public offering.

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / November 7, 2019 A specially-wrapped Kenworth W990 began its journey Wednesday transporting the 55th U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from the tree-cutting ceremony in Carson National Forest in New Mexico to the tree-lighting ceremony in early December on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The theme of this year’s one-of-a-kind Kenworth is “Delivering Enchantment.” On the side of the hood, the graphics wrap showcases the New Mexico state flag, along with Shiprock, a mountain in the New Mexico desert. On the door and sleeper is the U.S. Capitol Building with a Christmas tree with the wording, “From the Land of Enchantment to Enchanting the Nation.” The truck will be driven by drivers of Wilbanks Trucking Services out of Artesia, New Mexico, and will stop in 30 communities along its 2,000-mile trip. Wilbanks, a 100-truck fleet, specializes in hauling oversized, overweight loads, which made them a candidate to haul the tree on the 2,000-mile journey that will include stops in more than 30 communities. The rig is equipped with a 76-inch mid-roof sleeper, a Paccar MX13 with a Paccar 12-speed automated manual transmission and Paccar 40K tandem rear axles. .

Matt Cole, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / November 1, 2019 Two recalls announced recently by Daimler Trucks North America affect more than 2,500 Western Star trucks for a potential sleeper door issue and approximately 12 Freightliner Cascadia trucks for a potential anti-lock brake light issue, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents. The larger of the two recalls affects approximately 2,546 model year 2017-2020 Western Star 4900 and 5700 trucks. DTNA says the adhesive bond may fail on the sleeper side door, allowing it to separate from the hinges. Daimler says it is still working on a fix for this issue. Owners can contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 with recall number FL-834. NHTSA’s recall number is 19V-722. The other recall affecting approximately 12 model year 2018-2020 Freightliner Cascadia trucks stems from an issue in which the ABS Electronic Control Unit may not detect an incorrectly functioning solenoid valve during certain low-voltage start conditions, causing the ABS/ESC malfunction indicator light not to illuminate. Without an alert, DTNA says the driver may not be aware of an active ABS/ESC malfunction and continue operating the truck with a problem. DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ABS/ESC module for free. Owners can contact Daimler customer service at 1-800-547-0712 with recall number FL-830. NHTSA’s recall number is 19V-711.

Dealers are being sued because their websites don't accommodate blind people. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ADA lawsuits prompt dealerships to make websites more accessible Lindsay Vanhulle, Automotive News / November 9, 2019 In May, Juan Carlos Gil, a legally blind Florida resident, sued about 50 AutoNation Inc. dealerships in Florida. Gil claimed he couldn't access their websites using his screen-reader software — a violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark 1990 law that requires places of public accommodation to be fully accessible. His lawsuit sought to compel AutoNation, the largest new-vehicle retailer in the country, to make its websites compliant. AutoNation is not alone as a target of such lawsuits. Dealerships are being swept up in litigation against businesses brought by disabled plaintiffs in several states. Seyfarth, a law firm that tracks ADA-related litigation, projects more than 2,400 federal website lawsuits will be filed in 2019, more than in each of the previous two years. Many of the cases end with financial settlements and commitments to improve accessibility online. "Our advice to our clients is to promptly embark on this accessibility journey right away, because these lawsuits are not going away," said Minh Vu, a partner at Seyfarth in Washington, D.C. "And it's very important for people with disabilities" to access websites. Several experts told Automotive News the cases have prompted dealerships to update their digital accessibility practices, something recommended even for dealerships that haven't been sued. The legal actions hitting dealers involve both lawsuits and informal demands. Many retailers first receive demand letters from plaintiffs' lawyers before a lawsuit is filed, and some companies settle in response to those letters without waiting for the matter to progress to a lawsuit. Because those settlements happen out of court, there's no way to know how many such settlements are happening and what the terms are, said Randy Henrick, principal at dealership compliance firm Randy Henrick & Associates LLC. It's a dilemma for dealers. While courts have held that business websites are subject to the ADA, the federal government has not adopted compliance regulations (see box at right). That makes it hard to determine how much to spend on compliance, experts said. Dealers also don't have sole control of their websites, which are built by outside vendors with required content from automakers. Some third-party dealership website providers have partnered with companies that specialize in accessible technology, including AudioEye in Tucson, Ariz., and Israeli company EqualWeb. "Not knowing what the law requires, I'm not going to tell a dealer to go out and spend $50,000," said Henrick, a former regulatory and compliance lawyer for dealer technology vendor Dealertrack. Trying to improve Digital access for people with disabilities could mean providing video captions for people hard of hearing or enabling keyboard navigation. A sighted person, for instance, would know to click on an image of a shopping cart to add items for purchase, said Chris Danielsen, spokesman for the National Federation of the Blind, an advocacy group. Someone who uses a screen reader would need alternative text describing the image to perform the same task. The federation is concerned about the influx of litigation, Danielsen said, adding that it files lawsuits only after working to resolve issues out of court. Multiple plaintiffs' lawyers who filed suits against dealers did not respond to messages seeking comment. In September, Esserman Automotive Group in Doral, Fla., settled a lawsuit filed against its Volkswagen store in August. "We went into this almost instantaneously wanting to get our websites ADA-compliant, because we saw no reason for them not to be," Esserman CFO John Hoctor said. The settlement was for a confidential amount Hoctor called "nominal." The retailer also agreed to improve accessibility. Businesses want to comply, said Haas Hatic, a lawyer at Greenspoon Marder LLP in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who defended Esserman. Yet a dealership website has individual vehicle pages that frequently change, he said, and the federal government has not adopted a "good-faith standard" that allows for broken links or accessibility gaps without violating the ADA. "Websites break down all the time," Hatic said. "That doesn't mean the person is being denied access to goods and services." Executives at AudioEye and EqualWeb said they can solve accessibility issues online using a mix of technology and human interaction. AudioEye works on more than 3,000 dealership websites for providers such as Dealer.com, Dealer Inspire and Dealer Socket, said Ty D'Amore, AudioEye's vice president of strategic partnerships. EqualWeb has inked a partnership with dealership software giant CDK Global Inc. Work with vendors Companies that are proactive about accessibility can win business and support from people with disabilities and their families and friends, D'Amore said. Dealers should work with website vendors to make accessibility features part of their website contracts, experts said. Hoctor said Esserman is vetting consultants that can identify problems and develop a plan to fix them. But getting a third-party vendor to make the changes will be its hardest task, he added, since "we're dependent on outside people to do it." AutoNation settled its case in June, committing to pay a nominal amount to cover attorneys' costs and improve its websites' accessibility. It denies Gil's allegations. "AutoNation is working to implement software solutions and other measures to enhance website accessibility in collaboration with our business partners," Chief Marketing Officer Marc Cannon said. "Our efforts in this regard are ongoing."

International Trucks Press Release / November 5, 2019 .

Call Red Dot.

Within reason, sell the customer what they want. Listen to the customer! (And not just the major fleets!)

This is our favorite kind of #TBT post. Back in 1928 The Yannuzzi family started their business. Fast-forward to 1964 when this #AutocarDC came into service to be driven by the founder's grandson, 3rd generation driver, Jimmy Yannuzzi. And guess what they did next? You guessed it: Bought more Autocar trucks. Like this 1965 ten-wheel dump that Jimmy's dad, Carmen, drove. The Yannuzzi fleet topped out at 15 trucks, mostly Autocar. Check out the new DC here: www.autocartruck.com/dc Always Up - Autocar Trucks .

Scania Group Press Release / October 21, 2019 . .

. .

You’ll have the truck of your dreams with the Ford Trucks F-MAX. #FordTrucks #SharingTheLoad

New month, new pin-up girl. Oh, that's not PC to say. Anyway, here she is, our November #TruckoftheMonth. Great to be working with you, Kimble Companies #AutocarACX #AlwaysUp .

Ford Trucks International Press Release / October 31, 2019 .

Ford Trucks International Press Release / October 29, 2019 This major launch means that the new big Ford Trucks F-MAX is now in the UAE! #FordTrucks #SharingTheLoad #UAE #Dubai #FMAX #IToY .

Ford to reveal Bronco in spring 2020; updated logo unveiled Michael Martinez, Automotive News / November 1, 2019 DETROIT — It's been 1,028 days since Ford Motor Co. announced the return of the Bronco SUV. More than two and a half years later, the vehicle finally has a logo — and a release date, albeit a vague one. Ford on Friday said that the long-awaited off-roader will debut in spring 2020. The company gave no other details, but the vehicle isn't expected to go on sale until late 2020 as a 2021 model-year vehicle. It's likely the automaker could reveal the Bronco around the time of the 2020 Detroit auto show, scheduled for early June. The press dates are technically in the spring; summer starts June 20th. Ford on Friday also revealed an updated bucking horse logo and wordmark in a teaser video that showed the Bronco's evolution through the years. The logo and wordmark are slightly different from what Ford showed when it confirmed plans for the Bronco at the 2017 Detroit auto show. The automaker plans to build both two- and four-door versions of the Bronco. It's designed to be customizable, with a removable hard top and removable doors that can be stored in the vehicle's cargo area, according to those who have seen it. The side mirrors will be attached to the front pillars so they remain in place when the doors are taken off, unlike the Jeep Wrangler — one of the chief rivals Ford is targeting with its Bronco revival. Ford also is planning a Bronco-based pickup, according to forecasting firm AutoForecast Solutions, as well as a smaller off-roader and a small, unibody pickup to be part of an off-road family of vehicles. The Bronco will be built at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant, alongside the Ranger. .

It's amazing that Workhorse is still in business, and I'm confident they won't be for much longer. Ford doesn't produce medium trucks (F-650/F-750) at a meaningful profit. It's purely for face. Yes, I'm thrilled that Ford is still at least in medium, however I can easily imagine Blue Oval having a change of heart and departing the segment to focus on other.

I have to, respectfully, disagree with that. Fiat has little proprietary "tech", but rather only the tech of its suppliers that it pays for the use of.

Bob, sounds like Ford is repurposing Avon Lake for electric car production (the electric F-150 won’t be built there). https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/ford-changes-plans-again-underused-mustang-plant-report-says

Jeep and Dodge Trucks (aka. Ram) are the money makers depended on. And yet quality issues are everywhere due to excessive cost cutting. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.caranddriver.com/news/amp29144073/nhtsa-jeep-wrangler-steering-shimmy-complaints/

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / October 31, 2019 Nine trucking companies are currently participating in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Under-21 Military CDL Pilot Program that allows 18-20-year-olds with the military equivalent to a CDL to drive across state lines. A new FMCSA website lists the carriers that are participating in the program and gives contact information for each so that military members can find and apply for interstate trucking jobs. Participating carriers include UPS Freight, Prime Inc., Werner Enterprises, Total Transportation of Mississippi, PI&I Motor Express, May Trucking, Lily Transportation, Gully Transportation and Golub Corporation. Trucking companies can still apply to participate in the pilot program here. The Under-21 Military CDL Pilot Program is slated to run for up to three years. During the program, the safety records of participating drivers will be compared to the records of a control group of drivers ages 21-24 with CDLs and comparable training and experience driving trucks to determine if age is a critical safety factor. DOT will use the information to present recommendations to Congress on whether the interstate driving age should be lowered or not in the future. FMCSA is also considering expanding the pilot program to allow non-military-trained drivers under the age of 21 to participate. A comment period was open during the summer, but no further action has been taken yet.

Volvo adds regional sleeper cab to its truck offerings Josh Fisher, Fleet Owner / October 29, 2019 ATLANTA — Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) is rolling out a new truck model aimed at regional-haul and driver comfort. The new Volvo VNR 660 truck will be available for order in the first quarter of 2020, the OEM announced at the North American Commercial Vehicle (NACV) Show on Oct. 28. As fleets adjust their operations to accommodate regulations such as federal or state bridge laws, length laws or weight limitations, VTNA says the VNR 660 will offer customers a way to increase payload capacity while still satisfying certain length and weight requirements. It also features a sleeper cab, a rare feature for truck models designed for regional haul. “The new VNR 660 truck model addresses the needs of regional-haul customers looking for ways to increase payloads by decreasing the weight of the vehicle and enabling the use of longer trailer sizes without sacrificing efficiency,” said Chris Stadler, product marketing manager at Volvo Trucks North America. “This new model also offers the comfort and extra space of a high-roof sleeper, increasing driver comfort.” The new model features a shorter, 164-in. bumper to back-of-cab length that offers both weight savings from decreasing the overall size of the truck and the option to use more versatile tractor-trailer combinations for increased cargo capacity. As an extension of the Volvo VNR product line, the new Volvo VNR 660 combines a high-roof configuration with a 61-in. sleeper that will comfortably accommodate an extra person for an overnight stop, making it ideal for local and regional routes that utilize team drivers. There is room for a refrigerator, microwave, and television with storage above the driver and passenger seats. The new VNR 660 is available with the Volvo Premier Trim package, which includes wood-grain trim for the dash and cabinetry. Other advantages of the new Volvo VNR 660 include the shorter hood design of the VNR product line, providing optimized visibility for the driver and excellent maneuverability in urban areas and easy docking in tight spaces. The new truck model comes standard with the Volvo D11 engine, the Volvo I-Shift transmission, and Volvo Active Driver Assist (VADA) 2.0, the recently updated comprehensive collision mitigation system. FlowBelow Volvo Trucks also announced at NACV that it will offer the FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit, which includes a system of wheel covers and fairings designed for improved aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, as a factory-installed option in Q2 2020. “The aerodynamics of our trucks have a significant impact on fuel efficiency and our customers’ bottom line,” said Allison Athey, product marketing manager, Volvo Trucks North America. “The new FlowBelow package offers our customers an enhanced aerodynamic option, providing up to an additional 1% increase in fuel efficiency when combined with our most aerodynamic truck spec, including the Xceed fuel efficiency package, and a dry van with trailer skirts, further reducing environmental footprints.” The FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit is a complete system designed to minimize turbulence and improve aerodynamics by surrounding the drive wheels to better manage the air that moves around the tractor while in motion. The system consists of wheel covers, a center fairing between the wheels, and a rear fairing behind the wheels. These pieces work together to maintain control of the airflow from end to end, keeping the air running along the side of the truck and around the wheels. The air is then funneled out when it reaches the back of the truck, jumping the gap between truck and trailer. Volvo Trucks will begin offering factory-installed FlowBelow wheel covers and fairings separately, as well as the full FlowBelow Tractor AeroKit included with its Xceed fuel efficiency package as a customer option for truck orders in 4x2, 6x2, and 6x4 axle configurations by the end of 2019. Volvo Trucks will offer factory installation of the FlowBelow system for all VNL and VNR models in Q2 2020. Electric reality VTNA President Peter Voorhoeve said that the truckmaker’s first five Class 8 battery-electric trucks, the VNR Electric, are on the way to California. The trucks are going to select California customers this year as part of Volvo’s LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) program. After extensive testing in California, offerings will expand to other regions with customers that have expressed heavy interest in the regional electric tractor, such as New York and New Jersey. At the end of 2020, VTNA will start limited production of the VNR Electric with a straight truck and a tractor. Three axle configurations will be available: 4x2, 6x2 liftable and 6x4. The GVW limit will be 66,000 lbs. By the end of 2021, the OEM plans to introduce an enhanced electric driveline version of the vehicle and next-generation batteries “with more density, more power, more range,” Pope said, adding that the VNR Electric will be available as an 80,000 lb. GCW (gross combined weight) tractor. .