Electric refrigerated commercial vehicles will be developed under a partnership between Volta Trucks and European refrigerated truck rental company the Petit Forestier Group.
The group will buy 1000 Volta Zeros with the first full-electric refrigerated vehicles to be user tested in 2021 ahead of production starting for rentals in 2022.
The strategic partnership will also focus on skills development, technical collaboration, and customer support.
The Volta Zero is a 16-tonne zero-emission commercial vehicle designed for urban deliveries and operations and the sale is Volta Trucks’ largest.
Petit Forestier Group has more than 58,500 vehicles among 280 branches and the Volta Zero trucks will be equipped by the group’s industrial subsidiary Lecapitaine.
This industrial agreement will cover all refrigerated vehicles sold by Volta Trucks.
“In response to environmental issues and reasonable concerns about accessibility in city centres, greener energies are a promising driver of growth for the Petit Forestier Group and this collaboration with Volta Trucks perfectly illustrates our vision,” group chief executive Léonard Forestier says.
“We are taking action now to prepare for the future and to provide our customers with the best zero-emission refrigeration solutions, designed for their urban deliveries.”
Volta Trucks chief executive Rob Fowler says the deal will strengthen Volta Trucks’ position as a leading manufacturer of electric commercial vehicles.
“When we launched the Volta Zero, we knew that there was a pent-up demand for the electrification of trucks,” he says.
“The unprecedented reaction from our customers, decarbonising their fleets to meet forthcoming legislation, and improving the environment for everyone, has more than validated our expectations.”
