By running just one electric truck between Gimonäs and Obbola, SCA can reduce its carbon emissions by about 55,000 kg per year. (Photo courtesy of SCA)
To further strengthen the sustainable value chain, SCA has, together with Scania, developed the world's first electric timber truck with a capacity of 80 tonnes. The vehicle solution, developed by Scania in close collaboration with SCA and the research institute Skogforsk, is part of the transition to sustainable transport.
SCA's goal is to make the entire value chain fossil-free.
"We have come a long way in industrial processes, which are already 96 percent fossil-free," said Hans Djurberg, head of sustainability at SCA. "We are very pleased that we together with Scania can break new ground to make the heaviest transports fossil-free."
"The 80-tonne battery-powered timber truck shows that even really heavy transport can be electrified," said Fredrik Allard, head of E-mobility at Scania.
"The partnership with SCA is a early show of what is possible, is a clear signal that it is possible to electrify even heavy transport. A change of pace is needed to make Sweden fossil-free in time and meet the goal of the Paris Agreement.
"An electric timber truck is a symbol of something pretty cool. Shipping of timber has been talked about as something that might never be possible to electrify. The development in recent years and what we are now presenting together with SCA shows how fast the development is taking place both in terms of vehicles and batteries," said Allard.
The intention is that the vehicle will transport timber on the stretch between SCA's timber terminal in Gimonäs and the paper mill in Obbola outside Umeå. The new electric timber truck represents another innovative step on the journey towards a fossil-free society and can be driven with a total weight of 64 tonnes on public roads and 80 tonnes on private roads.
Test-Driven During Summer
SCA Obbola's paper mill currently has a virtually fossil-free production process and the intention of the new vehicle is to reduce the fossil elements in the transport chain of raw material to the mill.
The electric timber truck will be test-driven during the summer and continuously studied by the research institute Skogforsk to collect relevant data that can form the basis for comparisons with conventional diesel-powered timber transports.
After that, the plan is for it to be included in SCA's regular operations.
High Climate Ambitions
"This is a first concrete step towards electric propulsion in the most difficult part of the landborne transport chain, which is extremely important. This is a global challenge that many have wrestled with and now we are showing together with an innovative partner, Scania, that Swedish industry can drive sustainability development," said Djurberg.
"Sustainability and reduced carbon dioxide emissions are important for society as a whole, which means that the business is also dependent on us driving development. Our forests and forest products have created enormous climate benefits for a long period of time and our industries are very climate-efficient, which is why it is also obvious with high climate ambitions for our transports."
The studies carried out during the summer will, among other things, compare energy consumption, productivity and costs against existing vehicles and map out what would be required for a broad implementation of electric timber trucks across the country.
Believe in Electric Timber Trucks
Jörgen Bendz, industrial supply manager at SCA, noted that the ability to electrify the heaviest transports has great potential for the company's sustainability work.
"We have worked hard and successfully towards fossil-free energy in our industries and we also have a significant part of our transports by rail, so we have been very keen to find a fossil-free solution for the heavy transport with raw material that goes to the industry by truck. We hope and believe that electric timber trucks over time can become the key to solving this challenge," said Bendz.
Facts, Figures
- By running just one electric truck between Gimonäs and Obbola, SCA can reduce its carbon emissions by about 55,000 kg per year.
- 6 turns/day Gimonäs wood terminal- Obbola paper mill, Monday-Friday 07:00-17:00
- Distance: ca 30 km round-trip
- Time: 75 min per trip (both loading and unloading)
- The truck is loaded with an ABB charger of 180 Kw at Obbola paper mill.
This story also appears on Forestry Equipment Guide.
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