Volvo Trucks has begun production of its new regional hauler for the North American market, the all-new Volvo VNR, at the company’s plant in Dublin, Virginia, in the USA. Announcing the start of production, the Swedish truck giant said that the new Volvo VNR is designed to meet the demands of urban and regional delivery operations.
The company added that the Volvo VNR was first unveiled in March 2025 with order books opening six months later. The first units have now rolled off the assembly line.
Built on a completely new platform – 90 per cent new compared with the legacy model – the Volvo VNR is purpose-built for navigating congested city streets, distribution centres, and urban routes where visibility, precision, and agility are critical, said Volvo.
Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America, explained: “Driving a truck in a busy city environment can be really challenging. The new VNR is engineered to address real-world operating challenges and improve safety both for the truck driver and other road users. We are excited to begin production and get these trucks into the hands of our customers.”
US manufacturing and workforce
The all-new Volvo VNR is assembled at Volvo Trucks’ New River Valley Plant, where all Volvo trucks for the North American market are built. The Virginia facility is the company’s largest manufacturing site globally and plays a central role in its US operations. Volvo has recently invested $400 million in major upgrades at the plant including the addition of a new 350,000-square-foot facility for cab welding along with upgraded paint and material flow systems.
“Volvo has built trucks for the US and Canadian markets in Virginia for more than 40 years. The expansion supports the company’s growth plans in North America and its long-standing commitment to US manufacturing and a skilled workforce,” said Voorhoeve.
More fuel-efficient with added safety features
The new VNR delivers up to a 7.5 per cent improvement in fuel economy compared with the legacy model, driven by enhanced aerodynamics, advanced powertrain features, and idle-shutdown systems.
The truck incorporates a comprehensive Volvo safety package, with advanced onboard technologies designed to support operation in dense urban traffic and pedestrian-heavy environments. The truck offers better forward visibility than the previous model, enabled by a sloped hood design and a larger panoramic windshield. It also incorporates industry-first safety innovations including integrated side curtain airbags, making it the safest regional truck ever produced by Volvo Trucks North America.
Built on Volvo’s new product platform
The start of production of the Volvo VNR follows the launch of Volvo Trucks’ all-new long-haul Volvo VNL. Together, the VNL and VNR reflect the company’s focus on application-specific trucks for the North American market, designed to improve efficiency, safety, and uptime across a range of fleet operations.
