Scania and DHL will test its extended range electric truck this month, which they claimed overcomes the problem created by a current lack of charging points.
The electric vehicle with a fuel-powered generator enables a shift to battery-electric road transport without waiting around for a fully-functioning charging network.
Scania said the e-truck will be deployed by the Port & Parcel Germany division for parcel transport between Berlin and Hamburg to test its performance, before additional vehicles are added to DHL’s fleet.
The fuel-powered generator replaces one of the battery packs in the electric truck not needed for the majority of the transport routes.
This reduces the range coming from the batteries, but conversely provides back-up energy when required.
Scania estimates the truck has a possible range of 650 to 800km and can be refuelled at petrol stations, if needed.
This compares with the 550km of Scania’s 100% electric trucks with an equivalent maximum weight.
DHL Group chief executiive Tobias Meyer said: “It is going to take some time before renewable electricity, the grid and charging infrastructure are available and robust enough to rely fully on battery-electric trucks, especially for a large-scale system like the German parcel network of DHL.
“Instead of waiting for this day to come, DHL and Scania are collaborating on a pragmatic solution for making logistics more sustainable and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 80%.
“This vehicle is a sensible, practical solution that can make an immediate contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in freight transport short-term.”
Scania said range-extended electric vehicles offered a promising interim solution for significant CO₂e reductions, especially where infrastructure and other conditions for fully electric transport were lacking.
Christian Levin, Scania chief executive, added: “The future is electric, but perfect must not be the enemy of good as we are getting there.
“The vehicle we have developed together with DHL is an example of interim solutions that can enhance the scaling of decarbonised heavy transport before the transport system eventually becomes 100% electrified.”
