Volvo Trucks North America announced that the Volvo Trucks Academy opened a new facility in Tinley Park, Illinois. The new facility expands access to battery-electric truck training in the central US. The new 14,865-sq-ft facility is larger and more modern than the previous Illinois training facility. This enables Volvo Trucks to provide more robust, hands-on learning opportunities for customers and dealers interested in electromobility solutions.
“The programs at Tinley Park will help provide our dealership partners with the robust sales and service training required to become Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle (EV) Dealers and to support customers with their zero-emission transportation goals,” says Leanne Fitzpatrick, strategic programs manager, Volvo Trucks Academy. “As interest in the Volvo VNR Electric model continues to build across North America, the Tinley Park facility will serve an important role servicing dealers and customers in the Central US, as it is easily accessible from both O’Hare and Midway airports.”
Courses at Tinley Park will provide technicians with training and understanding of procedures when servicing high-voltage electric drivetrains and components. Other courses will focus on Volvo VNR Electric sales and operations support and also offer continued guidance for diesel trucks. The Tinley Park facility has two full-time instructors who provide two technical courses per day plus a third course in sales, parts, warranty, or leadership. Most courses are a full day, and instructors teach up to five days a week depending on the schedule. The site also features meeting spaces, so those classes are not disrupted by technician training.
VOLVO EV TRUCKS & EV DEALER PROGRAM
Volvo designed the VNR Electric for local and regional ranges, including food and beverage, drayage, and pickup and delivery routes. In January 2022, Volvo Trucks announced enhancements to its Volvo VNR Electric model. These enhancements include a six-battery package option with an increased energy storage of up to 565 kWh and an operational range of up to 275 miles. The next-generation Volvo VNR Electric, which entered production in Q2 2022, is available in multiple configurations. These configurations include a 6×4 straight truck, 6×4 tractor, 6×2 tractor, 4×2 tractor, and single-axle straight truck.
Volvo Trucks designed its Certified EV Dealer program to ensure sales representatives are fully trained to consult with customers considering deploying Volvo VNR Electric. The sales representatives will ensure customers select a model configuration that is technically viable based on their operating requirements. The dealership certification also ensures technicians have vehicle diagnostics tools and technical training required to maintain electric drivetrains and components. Volvo Trucks currently has certified dealers in the US in California, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia, as well as in Quebec, Canada. Dealerships in several additional states will finalize their certifications throughout 2022.
Find out more, visit www.volvotrucks.us.
