DUBLIN, Va. — The interior of the Class 8 Volvo VNR Electric truck won’t wow you with sleekness. It is utilitarian, practically unchanged from its 2016 introduction. But substituting batteries for an internal combustion engine provides a ride as quiet as any competitor and a single-charge driving range exceeding most.
My strongest takeaway from driving two laps around the private track at Volvo’s manufacturing complex was how energy from slowing down on curves returns to the battery. It is a...