Volta Trucks, the leading and disruptive full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, has announced the first implementation of its new full-electric Volta Zero with Truck as a Service charging infrastructure to Heppner, creator of transport and logistics solutions and an independent leader in international transport from and to France.

The pre-order with deposit from Heppner will see 16 full-electric Volta Zeros operate from the company’s depots in Rungis and La Courneuve in Paris, and Lyon. Importantly, the agreement also covers the implementation of the electric charging infrastructure to run the vehicles, with a range of 22kW slow and 150kW fast chargers to be installed by Volta Trucks’ recently announced charging infrastructure partner, Siemens. The strategic partnership with Siemens includes software control systems, facility electrification, charging stations operation, energy management, building equipment and project finance. 

The agreement with Heppner recognises that the successful implementation of an electric commercial vehicle fleet doesn’t solely rely on a world-class, innovative truck, but all the support services that surround the vehicle. Volta Trucks expert teams have worked with Heppner to ensure that the timelines for the delivery of the vehicle, charging infrastructure and all other Truck as a Service components coincide to maximise fleet performance from day one of operations.

Volta Trucks and Heppner have worked closely together to identify charging requirements through a sequence of site assessments. Critical to deploying an effective charging solution, each assessment identified a sites existing infrastructure and upgrades required to recharge a fleet of Volta Zero’s.

Truck as a Service is designed to de-risk and accelerate the migration to electric commercial vehicles for fleet managers. Through its Truck as a Service offer, Heppner will have access to the maintenance, servicing, insurance and training services of its vehicles, and will rely on Volta Trucks for the development and successful implementation of all aspects of the migration to electrification.

The Heppner Group is developing its urban distribution offering by introducing both the full-electric Volta Zero trucks into its fleet of vehicles. The vehicles are part of Heppner’s strategic decarbonization plan, integrating electric power into its energy mix. This agreement will enable Heppner to offer its drivers both 16 tonne and 18 tonne full-electric trucks suitable for last-mile delivery.

The Volta Zero is the first purpose-built full-electric medium duty commercial vehicle designed specifically for urban logistics. With 150-225 kWh of battery power, located between the chassis rails as the safest possible location, the Volta Zero will deliver a range of 150-200 km, which is more than sufficient for distribution in city centres.

As a vehicle that’s specifically designed for urban use, safety is also very important. The driver of a Volta Zero sits in a lowered central seating position, with 220 degrees of direct vision of other vulnerable road users. The driver is also supported by 360-degrees of birds-eye camera visibility. From the central seat, the driver can also enter and exit onto the pavement from either side of the vehicle through sliding doors, making it safer for the operator and passing cyclists and pedestrians.

“At Heppner, our approach to reducing our carbon footprint is global and we act wherever possible. I am proud to be able to lay a new brick in our energy transition with Volta Trucks, which is a key pillar of our strategy. This first successful trial is the start of a great collaboration in which innovation and agility have their place”, says Jean-Thomas Schmitt, Chief Executive Officer of the Heppner Group.

Essa Al-Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of Volta Trucks, added; “I’m delighted to welcome Heppner to Volta Trucks. Both teams have worked towards a shared vision – to implement the full-electric Volta Zero onto Heppner’s fleet but also recognising that the migration to zero tailpipe emissions needs more than a truck, it needs the complete electrification ecosystem around the truck, to be successful. Our unique Truck as a Service proposition supports customers like Heppner operate an efficient and cost-effective full-electric fleet of trucks from day one. I’m sure this will provide a template and case study that others will follow.“