- In an effort to further communicate the benefits and capabilities of eHGVs, Scania has this month embarked on a pan-European electric truck road show, which will showcase a convoy of six electric trucks to customers in 13 different countries.
- The 20,000km-plus roadtrip will stop at 14 points, helping to show off their growing all-electric portfolio and highlighting how important battery optimisation will be in the eHGV transition.
- The electric truck convoy will also rely on public truck charging infrastructure along the route, further proving that eHGVs are a solution that already work on European trucking routes.
Scania shows off its eHGV range to a European audience
As well as showcasing the vast number of use cases within its electric truck range, from smaller applications such as refuse collection and tipper trucks up to larger models such as its tractor units, the road show will also help to provide more insights on the area of battery optimisation, which is set to become a key selling point for all eHGV manufacturers – not just Scania.
When making the switch, truck operators will have two choices when it comes to battery capacity. They can either order trucks with their maximum possible battery capacity, allowing for the longest range and, or opt for a tailored battery capacity that offer a range that specifically meets the truck’s use case. There are pros and cons to each, with a maximum capacity increasing the flexibility in cases of which the truck can be used. Crucially, however, opting for an optimised battery capacity is likely to reduce the cost of the battery within the total truck cost – helping to potentially bring down total cost of ownership for operators.
On its current second leg of the journey, between Kløfta in Norway and Paris in France, the trucks will be making charging stops at a number of public charging sites already available along the route. This includes a 300kW truck charging site operated by Aral in Hamburg, as well as Milence’s 400kW charging hub in Reims, outside of Paris.
The roadtrip will also be key for Scania to meet its current targets for electrified sales. It currently forecasts that within Europe, around 10% of its vehicles sold will be electrified by the end of the year. By 2030, it expects that figure to rise significantly, with 50% of its vehicle sales being electrified models.
Alexandra Österplan, E-mobility stream leader at Scania, commented:
“We understand that many operators still have questions and concerns about electric transport. So, rather than sitting back and assuming people will come to us, we are driving our electric trucks to where they are so they can see and experience for themselves the business benefits that electrification can bring, as well as address their queries about electric vehicle batteries and provide advice on charging technologies and strategies.
We know from the surprised, positive reactions that we have had from customers who test our electric trucks that seeing truly is believing, and we are convinced that this roadshow will win hearts and minds to make the switch to electric transport.”
