SCA and Scania are developing the first electric timber truck with a technical capability of up to 80 tons total weight. The vehicle is a sustainable transport solution enabled through another close cooperation between Scania and a progressive customer.
The new battery electric vehicle (EV) is capable of total weights of up to 64 tons on public roads and 80 tons on private roads. The EV truck will transport timber in the Swedish region of Västerbotten, between SCA’s terminal in Gimonäs and its papermill in Obbola outside Umeå, starting in 2022.
“The cooperation with Scania is an important way for us to jointly find innovative solutions for sustainable transport,” says Hans Djurberg, head of sustainability at SCA. “Electric timber trucks will be a strong contribution to SCA’s work with sustainability, where we are part of the solution for a fossil-free world. By running just one electric truck between Gimonäs and Obbola, we can reduce our carbon emissions by about 55,000 kg per year.”
For SCA, a European private forest owner and maker of sawn wood products, packaging materials and pulp, electrifying road transport is an important part of work to reduce its environmental impact. Every year, SCA transports about 8.5 million cubic meters of wood to industries, utilizing 265 timber trucks in collaboration with 87 haulage contractors.
“As we now demonstrate that it is also possible to electrify very heavy transport, there is a growing need to build out charging infrastructure for heavy vehicles,” states Jörgen Bendz, SCA’s head of wood supply. “SCA can further increase our contribution to help fight climate change, but a serious effort must be made to build out charging infrastructure. This responsibility ultimately falls on the government.”
The vehicle solution that Scania is developing, in close collaboration with SCA and research institute Skogforsk, is a part of the shift towards sustainable transport.
“The key to reaching zero emissions in transport is electrification and we will get there together with customers and other stakeholders that share our values,” adds Fredrik Allard, head of e-mobility at Scania. “Partnerships like this one with SCA, where we are early out and demonstrating what is possible, is a clear sign of a change of pace that is needed for us to be fossil free and deliver on the targets of the Paris agreement.”