Swedish vehicle maker Volvo says a new electrified truck it plans to bring to market next year will be able to travel up to 600km on a single charge.

The company says the upcoming long-range version of its existing FH Electric model will be a "breakthrough for long-distance transport with zero tailpipe emissions".

Volvo recently rolled back its goal of selling only electrified cars by 2030, saying it would now aim for 90–100%, citing changing market conditions and customer demands.

The transport sector is responsible for around one quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions, according to UN figures, with more than 90% of the energy used in motorised transport on land, sea and air derived from fossil fuels.

UN secretary general António Guterres has said sustainable transport will be key to the green energy shift, while the World Bank estimates that the sector moving to sustainable options could deliver savings of $70trn by 2050.

However, the latest figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) put the number of medium and heavy-duty electric trucks sold worldwide at 60,000 in 2022, or just 1.2% of truck sales.

One reason for the relatively slow take-up – as a comparison, around 18% of all cars sold worldwide last year were electric – is battery capacity.

The number of electric truck models has been steadily growing, but the battery capacity – and therefore range – of trucks has been slower to increase than that of other types of electric vehicles, according to the IEA.

Volvo's current FH Electric model has a maximum range of 300km.