Scania is expanding its electric aims in the truck market with a new range of vehicles and what the brand describes as a “solutions-based sales approach”.
The new battery-electric truck line-up will be offered as 4×2 tractors or 6×2*4 rigids and in R and S sleeper cab format. All promise improvements in the drivetrain, batteries and charging capacity.
Battery packs in the new vehicles are now of 624kW, with a reworked heating and cooling system to ensure the packs’ optimum operating temperature is maintained while allowing the driver to have more control over the temperature in their cabin.
Scania says the range of the new vehicles will depend on many factors including the weight being carried and the route traversed, but a 4×2 tractor fitted with six batteries should be able to travel up to 210 miles between charges at an average speed of 50mph.
Charging capacity has also been increased on the new vehicles – the 375kW capability means that up to 180 miles of range can be added after one hour of charging.
The Scania 45 R and S models now have powertrains rated at 410kW, equivalent to around 560hp while the triple electric machine powertrain design allows plenty of electro-mechanical power take-off applications, making the vehicles usable in such markets as temperature-controlled transport.
Gross vehicle weight for the 4×2 tractor is rated at up to 64 tonnes while the distance between axles of the six-battery version has been increased to 4150mm, allowing it to take advantage of increased vehicle dimension regulations in Europe.
The sales process for the new vehicles will see Scania offering customers charging, financing, insurance and maintenance solutions, in the hope of encouraging more regional transport operators to electrify their fleet by providing a single point of contact for all aspects of the operation.
According to Scania’s head of electrification Fredrik Allard, the latest moves by the manufacturer form a major step-change for customers who want to take charge.
“We are facilitating a transition for our customers by including values they deem important, such as a close partnership and wanting to be zero emissions,” he said.
“Scania has now reached a maturity with its electric range. With this major addition to our existing hybrids and the battery electric trucks for urban distribution we introduced in 2020, we can now offer a sustainable and multi-faceted portfolio of zero-emission solutions for our customers.”
Scania is now taking orders for the new electric trucks with first deliveries expected in late 2023.
