Renault Trucks has successfully converted a 12-tonne diesel truck into a battery electric vehicle (BEV) as part of an initiative to evaluate the environmental, technical, and economic viability of such retrofits. This conversion project was made possible through a collaboration with Novumtech, a startup specialising in battery development, and received financial support from the French Environment and Energy Agency ADEME.

The retrofitting process for the 12-tonne Renault Truck D primarily involved changing essential components, including the engine, transmission, fuel tank, and AdBlue tank. Additionally, various parts associated with the combustion engine, such as the hydraulic pump for power steering, air compressor for suspension and brakes, and the air conditioning compressor, were removed. These components were replaced with an electric motor directly linked to the drive shaft, a 210kWh lithium-ion battery pack, a 22kW on-board charger, an electric air compressor for suspension and brakes, an electric hydraulic pump for power steering, an electric air-conditioning compressor, and an electric cabin heater.

The project took place at the CampX facility, which is part of the Volvo Group, located on Renault Truck’s Lyon site. This collaboration underlines the aim of CampX to expedite technological and commercial innovation by fostering partnerships between Renault Trucks’ engineering team in Lyon and innovative startups.