Transportation industry shifts with new energy to larger, more powerful e-trucks

Scania recently inaugurated a new battery factory and a new assembly line for electric trucks. With this, the Swedish brand is ready for an emission-free future and can produce a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) for almost any application. With a 6×4 chassis, the range of electric trucks for the building and construction sector now also gets more choice.

With the updated all-electric vehicles, which include new, green batteries, a modified chassis and services such as Scania Charging Access, Scania's offering has reached a level that makes it attractive and relevant to a wide range of customers, regardless of their transport assignments.

Scania's current range of all-electric trucks has impressive figures: gross train weights can reach 64 tons, range can exceed 500 kilometers, payload capacity is up to 375 kW/500 A DC, and the highest power output of 450 kW (about 610 hp) is significantly higher than that of the most powerful 13-liter engine. There is a choice of three electric machines with outputs ranging from 210 kW (about 280 hp) to 450 kW in eight different stages. This offers a wide choice in which the Scania BEV is broadly deployable.

"Apart from the real long-haul transporters or for the very heaviest applications, there are very few buyers today who cannot find an electric solution for their operational activities," says Bas van der Zanden, Director e-Mobility Scania Benelux. "Of course, there are still certain applications that may be less likely to be electric in the near future, but many buyers will be amazed when they see what these trucks are capable of and their efficiency when combined with our digital services."

Scania's latest electric trucks for urban and regional distribution and construction applications are offered either as rigids or tractors. The new and modern battery packs, with installed capacities of 416 or 624 kWh, offer great flexibility and one can now choose cabs from the R and S series. As usual, the range will vary depending on weight, operation, weather, driving style ... But, for example, a 27-ton tipper with six batteries can travel up to about 350 kilometers between each charge. An hour of charging can then add another 270 kilometers of range. And it does not require 350 kW charging points to achieve reasonable charging times: a 130 kW charger adds 100 kilometers of range in one hour for a truck consuming 1.3 kWh/km.

Increasingly, tenders are including requirements regarding CO2 emissions at a construction site or project. These requirements can extend to a completely emission-free deployment of (logistics) equipment on the construction site. This often means reaching the construction site only with electric trucks. Scania has a full range of electric vehicles suitable for many different applications. The chassis are modular so that great flexibility is possible. An e-PTO can be used to power emission-free additional equipment. In addition, many bodybuilders are now trained in working with a Scania e-truck.

Scania uses battery cells from Swedish manufacturer Northvolt, which have a service life of 1.5 million kilometers for powering trucks. Their carbon footprint is about one-third of a comparable industry reference.

One of the main advantages of Scania's batteries is their charging characteristics. Unlike many other battery packs, Scania's can be repeatedly charged to 100% without affecting their service life. And they have a straight charging curve, which means they charge at the same rate whether they are nearly full or nearly empty. The straight charging curve gives predictable charging times, and the long battery life ensures low TCO.