Sweden launches national projects for electric trucking 16/11/21
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Sweden is investing millions in electrification of heavy transport
(photo: Sweden)
Electricity has long been talked about as one of the cornerstones for achieving climate neutrality in, among other things, transport.
The development is progressing, but not fast enough, according to Swedish authorities and companies. Therefore, the state and industry are now joining forces to speed up the transition to an electrified freight transport system with a total investment of SEK 400 million.
The money will be spent on two projects - "Reel" and "E-Charge" - in an initiative that takes place via the program "Vehicle Strategic Research and Innovation" (FFI).
- The investment accelerates the transition to sustainable road transport and reduces emissions here and now, says Malin Persson, chairman of the board of FFI, to Transportmagasinet's Swedish sister media, transportnet.se.
Reghional freight transport on the el
Reel project will include 40 electric trucks for regional freight transport. The vehicles will drive all over Sweden, but primarily in Mälardalen, Skåne and Västra Götaland. The idea is to use both prototypes and mass-produced trucks with a total weight of 16-74 tons.
In addition, a charging infrastructure is created with digitally connected system support at depots, terminals and other important logistics points.
The project brings together transport buyers, freight forwarders and distributors, hauliers, terminal operators, charging station operators, electricity grid companies as well as suppliers of trucks, charging equipment and control systems. In addition, regions, cities and universities participate.
- The transition to a fossil-free world requires innovation in society as a whole. This is a clear example of innovation in a broad sense, where companies, authorities and others together address that even business models, behavior and regulations must be developed towards sustainability, says the company Vinnova's CEO Darja Isaksson.
FFI finances with SEK 85 million and the project partners contribute SEK 104 million in the Reel project.
Long transports on electricity The
focus of the second project, E-Charge, is long transports. Here, the goal is to develop battery-electric cars that will be able to handle daily distances of 500 km and more. The vehicles are tested in a couple of large logistics chains between the largest cities in Sweden. The cars are charged with high-power charging in connection with the driver's rest periods.
A combination of development work in several thematic areas and research at integrated system level will contribute to knowledge and understanding of how electrification of long-distance transport can affect larger systems such as logistics and electrical systems.
- In the project, the largest trucks will run on electricity, which just a few years ago was considered virtually impossible. It shows how fast the development is going, says the Danish Energy Agency's director general Robert Andrén.
He also reckons that the project will systematically provide useful results to the government's appointed electrification commission.
FFI finances this project with SEK 102 million, while the project partners contribute SEK 113 million.
Both projects start now and run until 2024.