Scania developing electrified trucks for Jula Logistics

Extra-long truck in operation at Jula Logistics in Sweden

Scania is to produce electric versions of the extremely heavy and extra-long trucks used by Jula Logistics to move shipping containers.

The Swedish logistics firm has been using diesel-powered trucks to move two containers at a time. The trucks have a total weight of 64 tonnes and an overall length of 32 metres (105 feet).

Doubling the load capacity reduces the number of trips needed to move containers from warehouse to loading port, helping to reduce related emissions and costs.

Switching to electrified versions of the trucks the company is looking to achieve savings of 70% across its energy and emissions per transport.

“We use intermodal transport where our cargo arrives to the port in Gothenburg by ship, are stowed onto a train that goes to Falköping. From there, the cargo is carried by truck the last bit of the journey to our warehouse in Skara,” said Lennart Karlsson, CEO at Jula Logistics.

“To make this chain of transport even more sustainable by using a truck powered by electricity from the solar panels we will build on the roof of our warehouse is just fantastic,” he added.

The plan is to install an electrified powertrain which will allow the trucks to make the 60 kilometre (37 mile) trip from the train stop in Falköping to the warehouse in Skara ‘a couple of times’ on each charge.

An optimised route schedule, including an energy consumption review and charging times, will undergo simulation to support an efficient transport flow when the electric trucks take over operations.

The new electrified trucks are expected to enter service over the first half of 2022.