Scania is a world-leading provider of heavy transport solutions – including trucks and buses and associated services such as maintenance, data solutions, and rental. Its current science-based target is short term: to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in use-phase emissions by 2025 (from a 2015 baseline). At the same time, the company is also developing a roadmap to Net Zero by 2040.

Compared with other barriers, Scania views its technological pathway to decarbonisation as relatively low risk. The company already provides off-the-shelf battery electric trucks capable of carrying 14-15 tonnes over short distances. By next year, its trucks will be able to carry 40 tonnes for 4 hours. By 2024, 60-tonne trucks will be capable of long distances with only 45 minutes of recharging time. In Scania’s words: technologically, “everything is going according to plan”.

The installation of infrastructure to support these technologies, however, remains a major challenge.

Scania has led the call for increased speed, estimating—for example—that high-capacity charging stations in Europe need to be installed at ten times the current rate. Scania, MAN, Volvo, and Daimler Truck have set up a joint venture to accelerate this process, collectively investing 500 million euros to install 1700 High Performance Charging Points across Europe. Representing just a fraction of what is needed to decarbonise the sector, this joint venture nevertheless showcases what is possible when competitive organisations rise above individual objectives to drive sector-wide transformation.

“To find the best solutions for the climate challenge is our most urgent priority as an industry […]. When we talk to customers about electric trucks, they always ask: where can we charge? To support as fast as possible, we are teaming up on kick-starting the European charging network.”

Christian Levin, CEO and President for Scania and TRATON GROUP