Volvo Penta showcases mobile battery storage for truck charging at IAA 2026

Volvo Penta is presenting battery energy storage technology at IAA Transportation 2026 to help address limited grid capacity and gaps in charging infrastructure. Mobile battery storage can support fast charging at locations where permanent infrastructure is not yet available or the grid connection cannot meet peak demand.

Volvo electric truck parked beside a containerised Volvo Penta battery energy storage unit, with two workers in high-visibility jackets. — Mobile battery energy storage can support fast charging at locations where grid capacity is limited or permanent charging infrastructure is not yet available.

Exhibiting alongside Volvo Trucks, Volvo Penta is showcasing its battery energy storage system (BESS) subsystem and the Hivolt 380X, a complete mobile BESS unit developed by Contour Advanced Systems using Volvo Penta’s battery technology.

For transport and logistics operators, mobile battery-powered charging units can help shorten deployment times and reduce reliance on new fixed grid connections, lengthy permitting processes and civil works.

“Reliable power infrastructure is critical to the transition toward zero-emission transport,” said Tommi Wulff, Sales and Business Development Manager at Volvo Penta. “Battery energy storage can help bring fast charging to locations where grid capacity is limited or permanent infrastructure is not yet in place. At IAA Transportation, we are showing how Volvo Penta can support this transition by providing a proven, scalable BESS subsystem that our partners can build into complete charging and energy storage systems.”

Cutaway illustration of a Volvo Penta battery energy storage subsystem, showing battery modules and electrical connections inside a container. — Volvo Penta’s BESS subsystem uses Volvo Group battery technology and is designed for integration into complete energy storage and charging systems.

Supporting charging at temporary sites and busy locations

Volvo Penta’s BESS subsystem uses Volvo Group battery technology from on- and off-highway vehicles. According to the company, it is engineered for continuous, heavy-duty use and combines a high-energy-density battery pack with the ability to charge and discharge rapidly. A battery management system supports performance, service life and cybersecurity.

Potential applications include temporary charging locations, events and situations where existing charging infrastructure is unavailable or disrupted. In fixed installations, battery storage can supplement a limited grid connection to support high-power vehicle charging during periods of high demand.

Partners develop complete systems

Volvo Penta supplies the battery technology, scalable subsystem and application expertise, while partners integrate these into complete energy storage and charging solutions for specific operating requirements.

The Hivolt 380X illustrates this approach, combining Volvo Penta’s battery technology with Contour Advanced Systems’ system integration and manufacturing expertise.

“Volvo Penta’s BESS subsystem gives us a proven battery foundation for the Hivolt 380X,” said Jacco Lemmen, Business Development Manager at Contour Advanced Systems. “By combining Volvo Penta’s technology with our system integration and manufacturing expertise, we are showcasing a solution designed and made in Europe, with European components and software, and built around shared values of safety, quality and cooperation.”

Volvo Penta is exhibiting at IAA Transportation in Hannover, Germany, on September 15–20, 2026, in Hall 11, Stand F31.