Volta’s Eco-Friendly Body Panels Promise To Be As Light And Strong As Carbon Fiber

Volta Trucks has tapped Italy’s CPC Group to “develop and deliver the world’s most sustainable composite exterior body panels” for the Zero electric truck.

While composite body panels have been around for decades, the ones on the Zero promise to be “innovative, sustainable and recyclable.”

Volta didn’t go into many specifics, but noted full-scale production of customer-spec Zeros will begin in late 2022 and these models will be equipped with the first iteration of the composite panels. Later on, future developments will allow the company to roll out more sustainable panels.

Also Read: Volta Zero Is A 16-Tonne Electric Truck With A Central Driving Position

That’s not much to go on, but the Zero is billed as the “world’s first purpose-built full-electric 16-tonne commercial vehicle designed specifically for inner city logistics.” Sustainability extends beyond the powertrain as the truck was introduced with eco-friendly flax and biodegradable resin composite panels. They’re fully natural, lightweight and almost carbon neutral. More importantly, they offer the same stiffness and weight as carbon fiber while requiring 75% less CO2 to produce.

In a statement, Volta Trucks founder Carl-Magnus Norden said: “Sustainability is a cornerstone of our company’s purpose because saving the planet cannot wait. Sustainability is much more than just tailpipe emissions” as “we take an environmental-first approach to all material sourcing to deliver on our mission of becoming the world’s most sustainable commercial vehicle manufacturer.”

As a refresher, the Zero features a central driving position that provides drivers with a 220° view of their surroundings. The truck is also slated to have an electric range of between 93-124 miles (150-200 km), which could help to eliminate approximately 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2025.