Volt Mobility orders 3,000 Chinese e-trucks in US for Arab oil states

Volt Mobility, a commercial electric vehicle leasing company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has ordered 3,000 Class 1 and Class 3 EV cargo vans and trucks from Mullen Automotive, a US-based company. The vehicles are meant to electrify last-mile delivery services in the Gulf Cooperation Council region (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE).

Mullen Automotive, which mainly converts Chinese-made electric vehicles for the US domestic market, seems to have found some success in the commercial vehicle market. This 3,000-vehicle order from Volt will bring in $210 million of revenue, of which $3 million will be paid in advance—an important figure for a company that has endured considerable financial hardship.

Converted (Chinese) electric commercial vehicles

Mullen’s Class 1 cargo van is based on the Chinese Wuling EV50. It features a 42 kWh battery, offering around 110 miles (177 km) of range. The back has space for nearly 4,500 liters of cargo, with a payload of around 750 kilograms. The Class 3 cargo truck has a 125-mile (200 km) range, a payload of 2,400 kg, and is based on a Fuso truck.

Both vehicles will be built in Mullen’s Tunica, Mississippi plant, which has a capacity of 20,000 Class 1 and 6,000 Class 3 vehicles per year, given both production shifts are fully staffed. Volt’s order will be delivered across a 16-month period.

Growing zero-emissions market in the Gulf region

Volt Mobility, founded in 2020, leases electric commercial vehicles to delivery services like UPS, DHL, and FedEx in the Gulf region. It has a portfolio of 17 vehicles and is working on a digital platform that will enable customers to locate charging stations or reserve a fully charged vehicle.

It is noteworthy that there is interest in placing a large order for electric commercial vehicles in this oil-rich region. However, the UAE has ambitions to become a net-zero state by 2050, with intermediary goals for 2030, including creating 50,000 new “green” jobs by next decade, tripling the share of renewable energy, and increasing the installed clean energy capacity from 14.2 GW to 19.8 GW.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, aims for a 50% share of renewable energy by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2060. And oil companies like Aramco are investing heavily in renewable energy sources, such as green hydrogen.