Volvo Trucks South Africa has announced that it will start local assembly of its advanced Euro 6 trucks at the company’s plant in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal during the first quarter of 2026.
“Local assembly of Euro 6 trucks reinforces Volvo Trucks’ leadership in sustainable transport solutions, while continuing to support the development of the local manufacturing sector,” says Mattias Rodier, Chief Financial Officer of Volvo Trucks South Africa. “This milestone also continues our commitment to providing cleaner and more efficient transport solutions for the South African market.”
By assembling trucks locally, Volvo Trucks is not subject to import duties that are typically applied to fully built-up vehicles. This enables the company to offer Euro 6 models at more competitive pricing.
“By assembling Euro 6 trucks locally, we’re not only responding to growing local demand for cleaner technology but also doing so in a way that ensures competitiveness and accessibility for our customers,” says Rodier.
The Euro 6 standard represents a substantial improvement over the current – and archaic – Euro 2 standards regulating both passenger and commercial vehicles in South Africa. The company continues to offer products from Euro 3 technology and up, to support customers with various sustainability requirements.
The Volvo Trucks Durban Assembly Plant already underwent several upgrades in 2022 following the OEM’s introduction of Euro 5 technology for its product range. These included updates to the plant layout to support new assembly processes such as the introduction of AdBlue tanks and specialised exhaust systems. An additional investment has been made by the company to accommodate the Euro 6 truck assembly.
To ensure the highest levels of product quality and performance, Volvo Trucks also continues to invest in extensive training for its assembly operators, road testers, and product auditors. “Quality is the foundation of everything we do – from the way we design and build our trucks, to the people, parts and services that support them,” says Rodier.
Volvo’s Euro 6 diesel engines are produced at the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Skövde, Sweden. From there, engines are shipped to global assembly plants, including the one in Durban.
The integration of Euro 6 production is complementary to the existing local assembly of Volvo’s full range of extra heavy trucks – including the FH, FM, and FMX ranges – with no disruption to current assembly lines. Rather, it enhances the plant’s capabilities and product offering.
The introduction by Volvo of Euro 6 to South Africa began earlier this year with the launch of the technology on its original long-haul icon, the Volvo FH. Now, with local assembly underway, fleet operators can benefit from the full spectrum of Volvo Trucks’ sustainability, performance and operational efficiencies.
In South Africa, long-haul transport plays a fundamental role in facilitating the movement of goods across the country. Fuel and operating costs are critical components of a fleet owner’s business, regardless of its size.
Volvo Trucks South Africa’s FH Euro 6 is available in seven horsepower variants across the D13 and D17 engine ranges, and in all cab configurations: Sleeper, Globetrotter and Globetrotter XL.
FH Aero coming soon
The company also says it is in the process of homologating and conducting local tests for the introduction of its FH Aero range in South Africa. A launch date will be announced once all these processes have been completed.
The Volvo FH Aero was introduced globally in 2024 and is seen by the company as the ideal long-haul truck. Its aerodynamic cab is designed to save fleet owners energy and reduce their carbon footprint. Local customers will be able to choose between electric and diesel models.
Earlier this year, the Volvo FH Aero won the coveted 2025 Green Truck award, a comprehensive and independent comparative press test to identify the most fuel-efficient long-haul truck, organised by the German trade magazines Trucker and Verkehrs-Rundschau.
“The new Volvo FH Aero is our most efficient truck ever as we continue to reduce CO2 from our entire product range,” says Rodier. “This is a Volvo truck at its best – a safe, aerodynamically designed and superior quality truck for tough long-haul tasks, designed for the success of our customers. We can’t wait to introduce it to the South African market.”
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