Scania powers towards a fossil-free future

October 18, 2024

At its IAA Transportation press conference in Hanover last month, Scania urged the industry and policymakers to speed up the transformation to sustainable transport systems.

Christian Levin, Scania president and CEO, said that in the two years since the previous IAA, Scania has made significant steps towards a fossil-free future for heavy commercial transport. “We have adapted our entire value chain, from our suppliers all the way out to our workshops and dealers. We’ve completely rebuilt our assembly line to make sure that we can produce a ‘whatever mix’ of internal ICE and BEV vehicles, and we have constructed a completely new battery assembly factory,” Levin told the gathered members of the press, adding that thanks to Scania’s modular system, it is ready to deliver “the world’s best electric truck for nearly all applications and all segments”.

Camilla Dewoon, head of communication and sustainability, spoke about sustainability throughout the business, including greening of manufacturing materials. “We are a responsible company and we think through everything from our operations to our supply chain… we recently received a 2024 gold medal from the independent assessment Ecovadis for how we treat the environment, human and labour rights, ethics, and also sustainable procurement,” she elaborated. Dewoon further noted that Scania recently completed a lifecycle analysis of its packaging material and has replaced its 100% plastic void materials with 100% recycled and recyclable paper.

“This isn’t just about the trucks,” affirmed Levin. “We’re about to change the entire way we’re conducting business in this industry.”

He highlighted Juna, a JV with sennder Technologies, which aims to lower initial electrification investment costs via a pay-per-use model. He also emphasised the importance of investments in green ventures and innovative technologies and business models. This includes the launch of charging company Erinion, as Levin noted that customers are specifically looking for charging infrastructure at depot and destination for the transition to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). “We are diving into the business of being an energy supplier… We’re aiming at 40,000 charging points by 2030, that will support our target of having 50% sales of BEVs by 2030,” he revealed.

Stefano Fedel, head of sales and marketing, spoke of the adaptability of Scania’s modular powertrains in being able to cover urban, regional, and long-haul distribution needs, enabling customers to choose the right energy level for their transport operation to maximise payload.

Fedel also emphasised the immediate potential of natural gas and biofuels, particularly in countries that are not yet ready for widespread electrification “Biodiesel, with low or no investment in technology, can (help to) decarbonise the transport system… (while with) the new gas engine, the R460… we can lower fuel consumption by at least 5% and increase the torque to 2,700Nm, while decarbonising transport by up to 90%,” he expanded.

Matz Gunnarsson, head of commercial operations, highlighted two innovations. Prodrive is an app that gamifies fuel consumption, helping drivers to save fuel and CO₂, while Services 360 service packages further modularise Scania’s service offering, helping customers to be more efficient and profitable.

Levin stressed that more is needed to speed up transformation, pointing out the importance of getting cost parity across the board for renewable transport solutions. He implored policymakers to lend their support to the renewable transition, reiterating, “Don’t forget biofuels and biogas. They are the perfect bridging solution available here and now.”

Levin wrapped up by saying that at this critical point, Scania believes BEVs to be the future of heavy commercial transport; it is ready to lead this transition, “with the greatest loading capacity, the fastest charging, and by far the best driving experience in the world of heavy commercial trucks, all in line with the promise of the Scania premium brand”.