Sheffield manufacturer appointed to deliver Swedish electric truck fleet

A Yorkshire designer and manufacturer of electric vehicle systems is collaborating with a Swedish truck supplier to develop its range of fully electric vehicles.

Magtec, which has sites in Sheffield and Rotherham, will work together with Volta, based in Stockholm, to design and manufacture the drive system of its prototype truck which is set to be unveiled in 2020.

Magtec’s first electric vehicle project was in 1999, when it helped deliver an electric bus scheme in the USA. Since then, it has worked with OEM and Tier 1 commercial suppliers across the world.

The custom-made truck for Volta will be for use within urban areas, with a focus on safety and low air and sound pollution meaning it can operate at all hours of the day. It will also feature a ‘Truck-as-a-Service’ rental model, with street pilots of the programme set to be carried out with retailers in 2021.

Andrew Gilligan, UK managing director of Magtec, said: “We are delighted to partner with Volta Trucks on this innovative project to reduce environmental harm and improve road user safety. This is a very exciting time for Magtec with our company involved in pioneering work across the world.

“Public opinion, business requirements and environmental bodies are driving change across all transportation sectors. Magtec is perfectly positioned to meet the needs of these markets by rolling out class-leading technology developed by our team over the past 20 years.”

Carl-Magnus Norden, CEO and founder of Volta Trucks, which was launched in May 2019, added: “Our business is based on co-creation and collaboration with some of the brightest minds of our industry.

“With Magtec onboard we feel confident that this will help make our trucks road-ready at the pace we see necessary to meet the current, urgent needs of the cities and the people living within them.

“With Magtec joining our other partners Prodrive, Conjure and Astheimer we now have a world-class lineup of experts working on this project and together we will be able to deliver on our promise to bring sustainability and safety to cities across Europe and beyond.”

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