At the end of 2013 Scania announced its collaboration with Siemens to create a network of electrified roads. The idea was to locate overhead power lines over the right lane of the road, thus allowing a truck to receive the power via a pantograph collector mounted on the frame behind the cab.
The idea was successfully implemented and on March 2014 Scania G 360 4×2 electric trucks were tested at the Siemens eHighway in Germany. And presently, the inventive technology is being tested under real traffic conditions on the motorway outside the Swedish city of Gävle.
The two milestone benefits of the system are substantial fuel economy and 90% of emission reduction. Moreover, the Scania’s trolleytrucks will also be equipped with electric hybrid powertrains and conductive electrical transmissions, developed by Siemens. The systems permit to operate a vehicle as a regular hybrid, while overtaking or driving a non-electrified road. In the mentioned cases, the pantograph is automatically disconnected and the Scania truck is powered either by the combustion engine or the battery-charged electric motor.
A Scania-inspired project for an extended network of electrified lanes is reasonably attractive to Swedish and German investors.