Proterra Batteries Selected to Power Volta Zero Electric Truck

Proterra and Volta Trucks have announced Proterra has been selected as the battery supplier for the Volta Zero, a purpose-built, full-electric 16-tonne commercial vehicle designed specifically for inner city freight distribution.

This contract completes Volta Trucks’ strategic sourcing of the electric powertrain. On Feb. 3, Volta Trucks announced Meritor Inc. will supply its Blue Horizon 14Xe integrated ePowertrain for the truck. With the batteries from Proterra and ePowertrain from Meritor, Volta trucks now has the right components to power its zero-emissions delivery truck.

Volta Zero vehicles are scheduled to start customer trials later in 2021, with tens of thousands of trucks expected on the roads soon after series production starts around 12 months later. 

According to Proterra, its battery will give the Volta Zero a real-world range of 200 km (124.3 mi.) on a single charge. This distance is more than enough for most inner city logistics and distribution vehicles which spend most of their operating time in slow-moving start/stop traffic. Proterra's battery pack features a high level of energy density and a customizable design. This allows the battery in the Volta Zero to be located between the chassis rails, the safest possible location for the design as it protects the batteries without taking up a lot of cargo space.

The project marks Proterra’s entry into the European truck market. Proterra continues to expand the markets in which its battery technology can be utilized. On Jan. 26, it announced it would supply batteries to Komatsu for use in a concept battery-electric hydraulic excavator which it plans to bring to market by 2023.

To date Proterra battery technology has been proven over 17 million mi. (27,358,848 km) in the company's own transit vehicles. 

Proterra says its batteries feature passive and active safety features, liquid thermal conditioning, and adheres to state-of-the-art functional safety standards, including ISO 26262 (up to ASIL C). The Proterra battery is designed to deliver over 4,000 recharge cycles over 10 years, without significant degradation, to ensure the longevity of the vehicle.

Proterra's H Series battery pack is customizable to fit into a range of vehicle architectures.Proterra

Jack Allen, Proterra Chief Executive Officer, said in the company's press release announcing the collaboration, "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."

Gareth Joyce, President of Proterra Powered and Energy, added, "Proterra and Volta Trucks share a common vision of clean, healthy communities served by zero-emission, electric vehicles. We look forward to building our relationship together as we support Volta Trucks in the development of the revolutionary Volta Zero commercial vehicle."

Chief Executive Officer of Volta Trucks, Rob Fowler, concluded, "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."

Watch our video interview with Rob Folwer to learn more about the design of the Volta Zero.