"RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY IS THE FUTURE"

Lars Evertsson, CEO at Ernsts Express, said: “The whole industry is facing big challenges in general, especially with the cost of fuels. Electrification from renewable electricity is the future.”

Stas Krupenia, Head of the Research Office at Scania AB, said: “Never before have solar panels been used to generate energy to power a truck. This natural energy source can significantly decrease emissions in the transport sector. And it is great to be at the forefront in the development of the next generation’s trucks.”

A 560 bhp plug-in hybrid truck was developed together with an 18m trailer which hosts the solar array that makes this vehicle unique. More than 100m² of the trailer roof and sides have been covered by flexible, lightweight solar panels which produce a maximum efficiency of 13.2 kWp (kilowatt peak). The vehicle is now moving onto the next stage of development: it is being tested on public roads in Sweden.

Testing on their home soil in Sweden was a calculated choice. Researchers chose it for it’s less than sunny climes, rather than testing somewhere where sun is more likely. “If it can work here in the less sunny and somewhat darker conditions then that would confirm the widespread validity of the project,” says Falkgrim.

UP TO 10,000KM RANGE

The solar panelled trailer is capable of providing up to 10,000km of range annually, with a hybrid-electric engine installed for additional power. During the testing in Sweden, the panels produced a range of up to 5,000km; this would double in countries with more sun such as Spain. The research team believe that there is a potential to increase this range as photovoltaic technology improves.  

This truck is an important part of the overall drive to transition away from a dependency on fossil fuels and towards more sustainable alternatives.