Scania and SCA develop first 80 tonne electric timber truck

It is possible to drive longer distances with heavy electric transports. Scania and SCA claim to be proving that with a new battery electric vehicle capable of total weights of up to 64 tonnes on public roads and 80 tonnes on private roads.

The electric 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.

For SCA, Europe’s largest 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 says it transports about 8.5 million cubic metres of wood to industries, utilising 265 timber trucks in collaboration with 87 haulage contractors.

”The cooperation with Scania is an important way for us to jointly find innovative solutions for sustainable transport,” said 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.”

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.

Fredrik Allard, head of e-mobility at Scania said: “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.

“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.”

He added: “An electric timber truck is a symbol for something pretty cool. Transport of timber specifically has been talked about as something that may never be possible to electrify.

“The developments of the past few years, together with what we are now presenting with SCA, show just how quickly things are progressing with regards to both vehicles and batteries.”