Recently, Swedish media reported that sales of electric trucks are much worse than Swedish giant Scania had hoped. They have a goal that half of sales should be electric by 2030.
The company says it has “mortgaged the entire company” for electricity.
We have invested billions in the factory we are standing in today, and we have a battery factory in which we have invested almost the same amount. We have invested so much money in this transformation, that without the right political decisions, we will have an entire society. The industry in Europe has an uncertain future, says Jenny Cato, Scania's public relations director. SVT.
Request political assistance
They are seeking help from the European Union to speed up sales, not least to secure shipping infrastructure.
In the first quarter, Scania delivered only 47 trucks, according to reports Carob.
– There is a need for bold political decisions. The truth is that new technology costs more than proven technology. We do what we can when it comes to pricing. But when we come in large quantities, prices will come down, she says.
This week Volvo announced its strong commitment to using biofuels in trucks:
– As a global manufacturer, we must provide solutions to a wide range of transportation needs and market realities, which is why we invest not only in new technologies, but also in solutions that decarbonize transportation in the short term, says Product Manager Jan Helmgren at Volvo Trucks .
It's not just trucks that suffer. Recently it became known that Mercedes is reducing its investments in electric cars Due to lower interest than expected.
Much harder than cars
In Norway, around 10 percent of truck sales are currently electric vehicles, and last year the SV government approved a target of All trucks must be electric by 2030.
The goal is to achieve the same transformation that was achieved with passenger cars.
However, according to the Norwegian Truck Owners Association (NLF), there is a lot that separates the truck market from passenger cars.
– I owned an electric car for 11-12 years, because the state paid half of its price. But for those running a business, there are completely different mechanisms. A truck is a means of operation, which should be predictable, NLF marketing manager Kjell Olafsrud tells Nettavisen.
This presents a particular challenge if cars are used over several shifts. A big part of the problem is the fact that trucks use a lot of electricity, and the batteries are large, heavy, and expensive.
-If you are involved Local transportationToday's zero-emissions car will be able to operate almost as well as a diesel car. The problem, he says, is that it costs 3.5 times that amount, and notes that the prices may be a bit artificially high.
On the other hand, you can save a fair amount of money on fuel. This means the overall calculation isn't too bad – provided you can charge using a regular charger at night.
– When customers are willing to pay, it's just a matter of driving. We have members who can today purchase electricity at home.
Distances are the problem
When it comes to transportation over certain distances, things are more difficult. According to the NLF director, the range listed on trucks today is very Optimistic when placing the goods. Hence, charging is very necessary.
“We believe that within 3 to 4 years you will have a charging network that enables you to drive linear transportation – that is, more than 30 miles – in a commercially reasonable way,” says Olaksrud.
It has recently emerged that you can charge trucks with it Huge effect 1000 kW. In comparison, most electric cars manage between 100 and 250 kilowatts.
– The problem is that we don't have that electricity – at least not where we need it, when we need it.
He says companies that want to build fast chargers are now often told by network companies that they have to wait 5 and 10 years.
It can cost NOK 150 per mile
– In addition, you have a pricing model for electricity in Norway which means that prices are based on the highest production. Therefore, all fast charging solutions become incredibly expensive, and the authorities have done nothing here.
– If you charge all the way today at Ionity or Circle K, the cost will be NOK 6-7 per kWh. If we want to have an impact of one megawatt, then what is the cost? 10-12 NOK per kWh? This quickly equates to NOK 150-200 per mile in energy costs.
– In short, trucks are too expensive, have too short a range, are too expensive to ship and cannot be used around the clock?
– That's the downside of it, but on the upside, technology has come a long way in local distribution.
Hydrogen is also on the way
Things are also happening with hydrogen, which has long been highlighted as the real solution to achieving zero emissions in heavy transport. It is much more suitable for trucks than small cars, and can be filled just as quickly as diesel.
Among other things, truck giant MAN plans to launch a limited quantity this year, and the Enova also has support plans underway.
– But hydrogen is not a topic yet. There is talk of 200 cars being produced by MAN, half of which will go to Norway – but that is nothing compared to its total production. We look at them as prototypes that are put on the market to test.
This creates other challenges.
– If you want to have hydrogen-powered cars, we have to have access to hydrogen, Olavsrud points out, and adds that there are some questions about the plausibility of using hydrogen and fuel cells, rather than batteries.
Sound the alarm: The European Union could become as dependent on batteries coming from China as it was on energy coming from Russia
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