Volvo delivers 5,000th electric semi

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Where Electric Semis Actually Operate and How They Look

  • Several commenters note they rarely or never see electric semis in the wild, especially in the US, but others point out:
    • Many Volvo EV trucks are in Europe, not North America.
    • Most OEM electric semis look almost identical to diesels, so casual observers won’t recognize them.
  • There’s debate over how “obviously EV” vehicles should look (grilles, door handles, styling), with examples of both “normal-looking” and “futuristic” EVs.

Range, Duty Cycles, and Driver Regulations

  • A central disagreement: is ~500–600 km of range “real semi” territory?
    • Critics say this only supports 4–5 hours of driving and cannot cover a full 8–13 hour driver shift (US norms), so it’s more like a regional/delivery truck.
    • Others tie range to legal duty cycles: in the EU, 4.5-hour driving blocks with 45-minute breaks and ~9 hours/day limits align well with current EV ranges plus mid‑shift charging.
  • Some note legal constraints on what counts as “rest” while charging; EU guidance suggests charging can be rest if it doesn’t require driver supervision, but this is still evolving.

Infrastructure, Economics, and Adoption

  • Multiple comments say range is no longer the main bottleneck; grid capacity and high‑power charging at depots and rest areas are.
  • Building enough truck‑grade chargers and parking is seen as expensive and slow, especially in the UK and US.
  • Commenters emphasize:
    • Fleet inertia (existing diesel leases, capex amortization).
    • That businesses are not perfectly rational; cost, capacity, reliability, and organizational inertia all matter.
  • Some argue catenary/highway electrification might be better than huge batteries; others call it politically or financially unrealistic in the US.

Safety and Fire Risk

  • There’s concern about multi‑MWh battery packs and tunnel fires; counterpoints note:
    • A full diesel tank contains comparable or more energy.
    • EVs statistically catch fire less often, though battery fires are harder to extinguish.
    • Future chemistries and better pack design could greatly reduce thermal‑runaway risk.

Regional Trucking Differences (US vs Europe)

  • Discussion highlights structural differences:
    • US: longer distances, higher speeds, looser noise/emission rules, more owner‑operators, and “classic” long‑nose, chrome‑heavy design.
    • Europe: stricter length, weight, speed, noise, and emission regulations; more regional hub‑and‑spoke routes; heavier permitted gross weights; more pressure to electrify and shift to rail.
  • Several point out that a large share of EU trucking is short/medium‑haul port‑to‑DC or DC‑to‑DC work where today’s electric semis already fit well.

Tesla vs Volvo and Market Significance

  • Some dismiss 5,000 trucks as a minor milestone; others note this is roughly a few percent of Volvo’s annual output and makes them a category leader in heavy EV trucks.
  • Debate over Tesla Semi:
    • Commenters contrast Tesla’s announced specs and future factory capacity with Volvo’s trucks that exist and are widely sold now.
    • Others question Tesla’s service network and real‑world volumes while acknowledging Tesla’s marketing dominance crowding out awareness of other OEMs.

Branding and Ownership Clarifications

  • Multiple participants stress that:
    • Volvo Trucks (Volvo Group/AB Volvo) is a different company from Volvo Cars (owned by Geely).
    • Volvo Trucks sources batteries from suppliers like Northvolt and Samsung, according to linked comments.
  • This leads to a short side‑discussion on how brand splits and licensing (e.g., in automotive and appliances) commonly create confusion.