A new partnership between marine engine maker Volvo Penta (part of the Volvo Group) and heavy-duty port handling equipment specialist Mol is paving the way for a cleaner future.
The companies have announced trials for a new electric terminal truck with a four-wheel drive powertrain at the Port of Ghent in Belgium, per a report by Electrek. It's called the RME225, and it's a 4x4 RoRo, which may require some jargon to explain.
Relatively small trailer-type trucks are common to ports, rail yards, and distribution centers for moving semi-trailers around the grounds. They go by a variety of names, including yard truck, yard goat, and "RoRo," which means roll-on, roll-off.
As Conrad Verplancke, sales engineer for Mol, explained in the article: "The technical progress achieved through our collaboration with Volvo Penta in creating the full electric 4x4 RME225 terminal tractor demonstrates our efforts to expand our range of new emission-free vehicles specifically for the rigorous needs of heavy-duty port equipment."
The vehicle has a Volvo Penta driveline with three battery packs totaling 270 kilowatt-hours of energy, plus two 200-kilowatt propulsion motors, a separate 50-kilowatt motor for hydraulics, and a fifth wheel.
High-torque electric motors can be particularly useful in this port scenario, both for moving heavy loads and for reducing noise and air pollution in the work environment. Plus, as the report points out, the new four-wheel powertrain will add some surefootedness on slick waterfront ramps.
Electrek noted that Orange EV and others have been electrifying terminal trucks for over a decade and proved that the format works. Now that Volvo Penta has a hand in things, it is bringing together tech from other related brands like Volvo Trucks and Construction Equipment.
That means more parts standardization and access to Level 2 and direct current fast charging for fleets, which could reduce costs and help future-proof the port's electrified infrastructure for years, per the report.
The terminal trucks have been designed to operate a full shift, of course, making them a great alternative to diesel vehicles, which have been common to heavy industry for a long time. That type of dirty fuel was responsible for 9% of the total U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide pollution in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
As Jeroen Overvelde, area sales manager for Volvo Penta, shared in a press release: "The full electric tractor matches its diesel counterparts in performance, with potentially higher acceleration rates and available torque on the RME225."
Happily, this new trial is part of a growing trend in developing quieter electric models for heavy industry applications, all of which provide less pollution and require less maintenance.
This is all good news for our electrified future and the environment. As one commenter plainly put it: "Every [internal combustion engine]-powered truck taken out of service by an EV is a win for everyone."
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