Scania’s commitment to electrification – our initiatives so far
21 DECEMBER 2021
Scania is driving the transition to zero emission vehicles. We are series-producing fully electric vehicles and actively testing heavier duty electric trucks in customer operations. This transformation is being enabled by rapid improvements in battery technology, and electric trucks will soon have the range necessary for widespread use in long-haul applications.
Making transport sustainable depends on many tools and technologies. At Scania, our sustainable transport solutions range from biofuels to energy-efficient powertrains. But of all these technologies, none will have a greater long-term impact than electrification. Scania already offers a wide range of fully electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. We are also beginning to test fully electric trucks in operations that were recently considered very difficult or impossible to electrify, such as timber transports, remote transports, as well as heavy and long-distance transports.
Despite the optimism about electrification at Scania, driving the shift will not be easy. It will require significant investments in new production facilities and technological innovations, as well as securing sustainable supplies of large volumes of batteries and related components. Due to a new reliance on access to clean energy and high-voltage electrical grid capacity, partnerships with energy companies and charging infrastructure suppliers will be crucial.
Over the coming decades, electrifying heavy commercial transport will be key for limiting the impacts of climate change, and Scania has already set ambitious targets that are proof of the company’s commitment to sustainable transport.
Our commitment:
- Through the Science Based Targets initiative, Scania was the first company in our industry to set science-based carbon reduction targets. Scania has committed to cutting CO2 emissions from its own operations by 50 percent by 2025, as well as reducing emissions from customers’ vehicles by 20 percent during the same period. When we set the targets, we wanted to make them count. That is why we set them for 2025, rather than 2030 or later.
- Scania has joined The Climate Pledge, committing to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
- Scania is a LeadIT member and as such works to transform energy-intensive heavy industry to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
- Through the CEO Alliance, Scania CEO Christian Levin is working with fellow business leaders to drive sustainable transformation through joint projects – focused on infrastructure, transport, and energy – in support of the EU Green Deal.
- Scania has signed the first global Memorandum of Understanding for zero emission heavy trucks and buses, committing to 30% zero-emissions sales by 2030 and over 90% zero-emission sales worldwide by 2040.
Electrification Roadmap
The focus now is on implementation. Scania has committed to releasing at least one new electric product annually. To give customers and partners as much clarity as possible regarding the speed of change, Scania has published an electrification roadmap as an overview of coming product introductions.
Scania has launched a battery electric truck (BEV) and a plug-in hybrid truck (PHEV) for urban operations, in addition to the fully electric Scania Citywide bus, which is in operation in several European cities.
The 29-tonne BEV truck has a range of 250 km when charged for 90 minutes. The 29-tonne PHEV has an all-electric range of 60 km when fully charged. In addition, Scania recently released an updated 36-tonne PHEV, with an all-electric range of 60 km after 35 minutes of charging.
- In 2023, we will have heavier BEV trucks capable of running for four hours with 40 tonnes gross weight or three hours with 60 tonnes gross weight, intended for regional transport.
- In 2024, long-distance electric trucks, adapted for fast charging during drivers’ 45-minute rest breaks, will enter the market. These will be capable of running between four and four and a half hours, depending on whether the vehicle weighs 40 or 60 tonnes.
- By 2025, we will be able to electrify most operations, including construction, mining, long haulage, and timber trucks. This is also the year when 10% of our volume sales will be electrified. Looking to the second half of the decade, we will have the technical capability to electrify more or less any application; however, it will not yet be profitable for all customers in all markets. But by 2030, 50 percent of our total vehicle sales volumes should be electrified.
For this to happen, we must have access to charging infrastructure and renewable electricity. This is why infrastructure investments and partnerships for battery electric vehicles are key priorities.
Life-cycle assessment
Scania was the first heavy commercial vehicle manufacturer to publish a life cycle assessment (LCA) for electric distribution trucks, which concludes that the lifetime carbon emissions of electric distribution trucks are reduced significantly compared to a similar distribution truck running on fossil diesel.
Charging and infrastructure
Great vehicles are crucial, but to limit carbon emissions from electric vehicles in operation, we also need reliable, sustainable energy infrastructure to power them. To enable this, major investments are needed to upgrade the electrical grid and to increase the supply of renewable energy.
To speed up the transition to electrified vehicles, Scania as part of Traton Group, together with other leading European commercial vehicle manufacturers, has signed a binding agreement to create a joint venture to install and operate a public charging network for heavy-duty electric trucks and coaches across Europe. The plan is to together invest €500 million to install and operate at least 1,700 high-performance green energy charging points over five years. The number of charging points is expected to grow significantly over time through additional partners and public funding. The charging network would be open, and the charging points would be compatible with all commercial vehicles in Europe, regardless of brand.
In parallel, we know that finding the right charging solution can be a complex challenge for our customers. This is one reason why we partner with energy and charging infrastructure suppliers to provide complete depot charging solutions to transport providers. Such solutions include energy supply, charging hardware and software, as well as installation, maintenance, and other related services adapted to customers’ specific needs.
Scania is also involved in several research projects investigating electric highway solutions, which allow vehicles on the busiest routes to charge on the move using overhead power lines. There are trials ongoing in Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Great Britain in partnership with regional public authorities.
Battery supply chains and industrial expansion
Electric vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, which is a significant benefit when compared with vehicles running on fossil diesel. However, new supply chains for batteries and related components create new challenges, as battery manufacturing is more energy-intensive than manufacturing internal combustion engines.
The speed of change in battery development is high, with great strides taken in the past years to better adapt battery cells to heavy vehicles. So far, however, there is a limited supply of batteries and an even more limited supply of sustainably produced batteries.
Reducing supply chain emissions is crucial for reaching Scania’s net-zero goal. Through Scania’s partnership with Northvolt, which aims to produce the world’s greenest batteries using renewable energy, we will be able to reduce emissions from battery production significantly. In addition, partnerships with low-carbon steel providers such as H2 Green Steel promise additional supply chain emission reductions.
Scania is also building an 18,000-square metre battery assembly plant next to the chassis assembly facility in Södertälje, Sweden. Operating an on-site battery assembly plant is a prerequisite for large-scale production of electric vehicles, and it also clearly establishes Scania in the battery production value chain.
The facility should be fully operational by 2023, and there battery modules and packs will be assembled using cells from Northvolt’s battery factory in Skellefteå, Sweden. The assembled packs form battery systems tailored for Scania’s modular production and will be delivered to the nearby chassis assembly plant.
The battery lab
It is essential that Scania intensify battery testing and deployment tailored for heavy transport, which is why we have built a new battery laboratory at our research and development facilities in Södertälje.
The laboratory contains three 250-square metre test halls for battery cells, modules, and packs. Adjacent to these halls, the laboratory will also have facilities for test sample preparation to improve the work environment, safety and testing uptime, enabling the capacity to right-size batteries for every application.
Services
All electric vehicles come with a complete service solution, covering the agreed service life of the vehicle and also ensuring availability of charging, spare parts, and mechanics certified for electric vehicles.
Scania also provides tailored, data-driven consulting to optimise charging, vehicle specifications, and route planning. This service is continuous to meet both immediate and longer term needs and goals. Long-term financing for both vehicles and charging infrastructure, as well as support and access to data, ensure that we can maximise operational capability and continuously optimise it.
The solution approach ensures customers can focus on running their operation – rather than the complexity of the technological shift.
What about hydrogen?
Hydrogen is a very promising energy carrier and will play an important role for decarbonisation of the energy system and industry, not least in the production of fossil-free steel. Scania has invested in hydrogen fuel cell technologies and has hydrogen trucks in operation with customers in Norway and Sweden. From an energy efficiency point of view, a great deal of energy is lost in the production, distribution, and conversion back to electricity when using hydrogen. This is one reason for Scania’s strong focus on battery electric vehicles. However, for some applications, hydrogen may still be an interesting solution.
