The world’s first electric log truck with a capacity of 80 tonnes has been delivered and is set to undergo on-road testing over coming months.
The electric Scania will be put to the test by Swedish paper mill SCA Obbola over the summer, with research institute Skogforsk collecting relevant data to form the basis for comparisons with conventional diesel-powered timber transportation.
Following the testing period, the plan is for the electric Scania to be incorporated into SCA’s regular operations.
According to SCA, its industrial processes are already 96 per cent fossil fuel-free. “We are very pleased that we together with Scania can break new ground to make the heaviest transports fossil-free,” said Hans Djurberg, head of sustainability at SCA.
By running just one electric truck between Gimonäs and Obbola (30km round trip), SCA says it can reduce its carbon emissions by about 55,000kg a year.
Fredrik Allard, head of e-mobility at Scania, says the 80-tonne battery-powered log truck shows that even heavier transport can be electrified.
“Shipping of timber has been talked about as something that might never be possible to electrify. The development in recent years and what we are now presenting together with SCA shows how fast the development is taking place both in terms of vehicles and batteries,” Allard explained.
Plans are for the electric truck to transport timber on the stretch between SCA’s timber terminal in Gimonäs and the paper mill in Obbola outside Umeå. It can be driven with a total weight of 64 tonnes on public roads and 80 tonnes on private roads.
“This is a first concrete step towards electric propulsion in the most difficult part of the land borne transport chain, which is extremely important. This is a global challenge that many have wrestled with and now we are showing together with an innovative partner, Scania, that Swedish industry can drive sustainability development,” says Djurberg added.
“Our forests and forest products have created enormous climate benefits for a long period of time and our industries are very climate-efficient, which is why it is also obvious with high climate ambitions for our transports.”
The upcoming on-road testing will compare energy consumption, productivity and costs against existing vehicles and map out what would be required for a broad implementation of electric timber trucks.