Sweden’s eHighway-more efficient than conventional engines

The new e-highway near Stockholm has been dubbed “the world’s most advanced stretch of pavement.”

The world relies heavily on trucks when it comes to freight transport and while the carbon footprint for a freight truck is much greater than any car, SUV, or small truck, so far no one has come up with a “green” solution.

While battery storage in EVs carrying 1814 to 2721 pounds of vehicle and passengers is a viable option, trucks carrying 80,000 pounds of freight over long distances presents a very different situation. As a result, a solution for “greening-up” trucks remains unsolved.  

“Green” trucks

Siemens and truck manufacturer Scania may be getting closer to coming up with a solution. The companies are testing an electrical system which has the potential for solving at least part of the big truck/big carbon challenge.  

Siemens and Scania are using a 2km stretch on the E16 road near the city of Gavle, located north of the capital, Stockholm, to test the feasibility of an electric highway for trucks. Siemens designed the electrical wire system and Scania adapted two trucks with a diesel-hybrid drive capable of running on electric power from an overhead grid when available and automatically switching to diesel power when they move off the overhead grid. The Siemens/Scania system design lets the trucks switch connections and maintain speeds up to 90km/h (55 miles per hour). Hybrid systems will be critical during the transformation from fossil fuel to all-electric trucks.

The trial “eHighway” lets hybrid trucks, manufactured by Scania, draw power through...Read on