Electric buses are so last week — electric garbage trucks are this week’s buzzy lithium-powered vehicle.

Volvo this month unveiled this electric rubbish truck (pictured).

The Volvo FE Electric has two electric motors that can together produce a maximum of 370 kW.

The up-to 300 kW lithium batteries can last up to 200 kilometres of driving time.

“This opens the door to new forms of cooperation with cities that target to improve air quality, reduce traffic noise, and cut congestion during peak hours since commercial operations can instead be carried out quietly and without tale-pipe exhaust emissions early in the morning or late at night,” said Volvo Trucks president Claes Nilsson.

Stockhead is in touch with Volvo to see if they plan to bring their electric rubbish trucks to Australia (and if so, whether we can have a drive).

Volvo wants electric cars to make up 50 per cent of its sales by 2025, and is looking to China to make that happen.

China wants electric vehicles (EV) to account for 20 per cent of its annual car sales in 2025, or about 7 million vehicles.

Analyses from Bloomberg New Energy Finance say China will account for 50 per cent of the global EV market by 2030.

It says heavy duty vehicles — specifically buses — are what will lead the battery-powered vehicle market in that country.

The focus on electric trucks has so far been on semis, like Tesla’s proposed ‘Semi’ and Daimler’s E-FUSO Vision ONE, rather than specific use trucks.