First Duo Trailer combination on renewable fuels in Spain

25 MAY 2023

Industrial logistics and supply chain management company Sesé and Scania have put the first Spanish truck with a Duo Trailer concept, powered by renewable fuel into circulation. The launch of the perhaps most sustainable long-distance heavy road vehicle in Southern Europe is done in collaboration with Spanish energy supplier Repsol and Volkswagen Navarra.

Scania R650 4x2 tractor with a 31.7 meters long Duo Trailer, will run 4,500 kilometres per week between Spanish cities Pamplona and Barcelona. This will lower CO2-emissions considerably, with the larger vehicle combination – and by using renewable fuel.

Big combinations give big improvements

These pilot transports are part of the international DUOTRAILER vehicle groups performing real-world tests in several European countries in collaboration with the Spanish University of Saragossa. The study aims to find ways to improve all aspects of road transport, including road safety, freight efficiency, fuel consumption and emissions.

Considerable improvements in all these areas have been proved by combining EU standardised transport modules, which are possible to separate if needed. In the Sesé Duo Trailer case, it means two 13.6 meter conventional semi-trailers, connected by a dolly and pulled by a truck-head with a towing capacity of 70 tons.

Innovative logistics and sustainability

Sesé, with head office in Zaragoza, Spain, operates in 20 countries in Europe, America, Africa and Asia. The company was a pioneer in the implementation of the first Duo Trailer in Spain in 2018. Now Sesé reaffirms its commitment to the decarbonisation of its freight transports. Using Duo Trailer modules also makes it possible to combine road freight with rail transport.

The Duo Trailer is designed to drive on high-capacity roads, reducing the number of more risky transport on conventional roads.

Fuel – renewable and reliable

Longer combinations already mean reduced emissions due to increased efficiency. Thanks to renewable fuel, supplied by Repsol, the CO2 emissions will be further reduced by up to 90 percent, well-to-wheel*. The advanced biofuel HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) is produced from waste such as used vegetable oils and agricultural and forestry residues. In addition, it has the sustainability certifications required by the European Union Renewable Energy Directive and meets all the technical requirements that guarantee its use in diesel engine vehicles without the need of any modifications.

Until now, the tests have been carried out with tractors with a single semi-trailer and fuelled with HVO for more than 550,000 kilometres, demonstrating reliable results.

Towards emissions-neutral with Scania

Seeking efficient, sustainable and innovative solutions for the supply chain is one of Sesé’s basic priorities to become an emissions-neutral company by 2050.

Scania has been working with a variety of renewable fuels in many countries for decades. A growing fleet of Scania vehicles runs on fossil-free fuels, which have become a real option for transport with increasing availability.

This transport efficiency initiative together with customers and society, is a further step towards Scania's decarbonisation objectives within Scope 3 of Scania’s Science Based Targets. It is about when products are in use, where Scania is committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 20 percent from vehicles delivered in 2025, compared to emissions from vehicles sold in 2015.

*Measuring well-to-wheel includes the sourcing of the fuel, as opposed to tank-to-wheel which measures only tailpipe outlets.