Truckspotters who like to catch a glimpse of the newest electric truck technology may travel to Norway, where Scania is pilot-testing a new hauler for limestone. It is not the world’s largest electric vehicle, but if all goes according to plan, it will assist expedite the decarbonization of the heavy-duty truck sector by showing the roadworthiness of new battery-powered technologies.
What is the world’s largest electric truck?
The electric truck industry has some ground to makeup, but manufacturers are nearing a parity between battery-electric power and diesel fuel.
The 360-ton “Beast of Belarus” ultra-class dumper is reportedly the largest vehicle in the world (about 326 metric tonnes). It can reach 800 tonnes when fully loaded but consumes 1,300 liters (about 345 gallons) of diesel fuel every 60 miles.
The largest electric truck falls short but is within striking distance. David Waterworth of CleanTechnica revealed in January that Fortescue Future Industries is developing a 240-ton electric mining truck. Also, the corporation looks to be a huge proponent of regenerative braking. Depending on the circumstances, regenerative braking might allow an electric truck to partially or fully recharge while in motion, increasing the possibility of reaching the 240-tonne threshold.
Norway’s Largest Electric Truck
Although if the new electric truck from Scania is considerably smaller, it might have a significant influence on the electrification movement.
The firm has already built a track record for electrification in Norway, where it operates more than one hundred electric trucks. The new model is an improvement. According to Scania, it is the first vehicle of its sort and is reportedly still in semi-stealth mode.
“The truck, a P 45 with three wheels and 300 kWh battery capacity, is part of Scania’s Pilot Partner program, a partnership with select clients on unintroduced electric transport solutions,” states Scania.
Tony Sandberg, director of Scania’s Pilot Partner, noted that the company already has a number of heavy trucks with various development solutions in progress, but that this is the first one to be deployed in Norway.
Scania advertises the new electric truck as having a total weight of 31 tonnes, a technical gross weight of 74 tonnes, and a gross weight of during the pilot test of 66 tonnes. The truck will travel to the Verdalskalk limestone quarry in Verdal, Norway, to perform its duties. On a 20-kilometer route to a local port, it will provide zero-emissions transport for around 120,000 tonnes of stone every year. The vehicle will be recharged and maintained at the port facility at Verdalskalk.
Mack Will Construct More Electric Trucks
The legendary American truck manufacturer Mack Trucks (a member of the Volvo Group since 2000) debuted its first medium-duty electric vehicle, the new Mack® MD Electric, last week. This is just another indication that the trucking industry is prepared for a zero-emission future.
Mack’s new MD Electric is a major development. To yet, the company’s electrification efforts have been limited to Class 8 urban garbage-carrying operations, where regenerative braking is ideally suited for frequent pauses. The new MD Electric is a Class 6-7 truck that can navigate local streets as well as broad highways.
Mack lay the foundation for highway travel last October when it partnered with Pilot Corporation to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at Pilot and Flying J travel centers in North America.
Mack’s diesel-powered Class 6-7 MD truck, which the firm released in 2020, will not be replaced by the MD Electric. Certainly not yet. Mack hopes that the diesel model’s instantaneous popularity will aid in brand identification and persuade truck purchasers to embrace the electric model when it becomes available, which should be soon. Mack intends to produce the new electric truck at its Roanoke Valley Operations site in Virginia, where the diesel MD is already produced.
The Mack MD Electric will help our clients fulfill their sustainability goals without losing the durability, dependability, and total cost of ownership for which Mack is recognized, adds Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America.
Regardless of sustainability, MD Electric’s regenerative braking technology might be a deciding factor for truck purchasers eager to save money on gasoline.
Virginia Will Produce Electric Vehicles Whether It Is Awake Or Not
Mack’s plans for electric trucks should not run afoul of Virginia’s Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin. Governor Youngkin has linked himself with the campaign against ESG (environment, social, and governance) investing, which is rather amusing given his past position as co-head of the ESG booster and top global investment firm, Carlyle Group.
Carlyle Group states, “Although sustainable growth looks different for every organization, one thing is constant: management teams who integrate ESG concerns with rigor and depth produce firms that create more sustainable long-term value.”
Youngkin also recently made news for voicing opposition to plans for a new Ford EV battery facility in Virginia, which Michigan immediately purchased last month. Youngkin attributed it all to Ford’s association with the major Chinese battery producer CATL, despite CATL’s lack of involvement at the facility.
CATL might still have a presence in Virginia, despite the governor’s office’s protests. Mack has indicated that its upcoming MD Electric would utilize nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery technology. Ford intends to use CATL’s technological help to manufacture NMC batteries and the new LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry at its upcoming Michigan factory.
If you have any views regarding CATL technology arriving in Roanoke in the future, please let us know in the comment thread. Nevertheless, do not let the 2019 agreement between CATL and Volvo Automobile Group confuse you. The Automobile Group is independently owned by the Chinese company Geely. It is unrelated to The Volvo Group, a manufacturer of vehicles and construction equipment.
The problem may become irrelevant in a few years when the EV industry transitions to LFP technology… or not. According to Markets & Markets, China’s BYD is the main worldwide LFP battery manufacturer, followed by CATL. The third and fourth place are the US companies K2 Energy Solutions and A123 Systems, which are also establishing operations in Michigan. Lithium Werks, another Chinese business, completes the top five.