The recently announced collaboration between Samsung and Volvo Trucks see the big boys get involved in electric trucks technology. This move adds to the momentum of the development of electric trucks and suggests they will be with us sooner than you think.
While the government of Australia continues in its casual denial of global warming, the rest of the world is moving to a lower carbon economy quite fast and the technological leaders are getting all of their ducks in a row to be in a position to build their businesses on the back of the new low carbon technologies coming on stream.
One of the main growth areas is going to be in electric vehicles and the movement towards electric trucks seems to be hotting up. A lot of money is being invested by some large global players to get in to electric trucks on the ground floor. One of these is the Korean global technology giant Samsung and its decision to partner with Volvo trucks in the development of the kind of large batteries electric trucks will need.
Volvo Group and Samsung SDI tell us they have entered into a strategic alliance to develop battery packs for Volvo Group’s electric trucks. Working together with Samsung SDI, Volvo Group says it aims to accelerate the speed of development and strengthen the long-term capabilities and assets within electro-mobility, to the benefit of customers in different truck segments and markets.
“Volvo Group is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial vehicles. With electro-mobility the increasing needs for transport will be done in a cleaner and quieter way which opens up new possibilities for our customers and society as a whole,” said Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO of the Volvo Group. “The alliance with Samsung SDI is an important next step on our journey towards offering the world’s most truly sustainable transport system with fossil-free alternatives for our commercial vehicles.”
The alliance is set to cover joint development of battery packs specifically developed for Volvo Group’s truck applications. Samsung SDI intends to provide battery cells and modules to meet the demand for the Volvo Group’s electric trucks. The intention is that Volvo Group will utilise Samsung SDI’s battery pack technology for assembly in Volvo Group’s manufacturing operations.
“Samsung SDI is truly privileged to enter into a strategic alliance with the Volvo Group,”says Young-Hyun Jun, CEO Samsung SDI. “As we stand at the crosscurrents of the mobility and transportation industry, we are convinced that this alliance will provide superior offerings pertaining to energy, safety and sustainability to the commercial vehicle industry and beyond. We are confident that this alliance will secure the market leadership of the two companies in the long-term.”
