Scania has announced it is introducing Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) trucks that can be fitted with different powertrain and charging options to meet a wide range of applications.
Scania’s new hybrid powertrain has been developed in-house according to the company’s modular philosophy. By coupling two electric motors with each other and merging them with essential parts of Scania’s latest Opticruise gearbox, Scania believes something truly new has been created.
The new Scania GE281 Electric Gearbox machine works in tandem with a seven or nine-litre combustion engine, providing unique opportunities for creating fossil-free power for heavy trucks with weights of up to 36 tonnes, without support from the combustion engine.
As the electric machine is always supporting the combustion engine at take-off and acceleration, the combustion engine can be downsized in both volume and power output. Hybridisation means fuel savings of up to 40% in city areas compared with traditional powertrains.
Fredrik Allard, Senior Vice President and Head of e-mobility at Scania Sales & Marketing said, “The GE281 is something brand new in the heavy truck industry. With this fourth generation of hybrid trucks from Scania, we have reached a point where hybrids are strong candidates for a variety of applications and operations where sustainability and smart solutions are the main priorities. These new hybrids have the capacity for taking on a multitude of tasks and will come out on top in all kinds of relevant comparisons.”
Scania is one of the few major manufacturers committed to offering heavy commercial hybrid trucks and has been pioneering the segment since 2014, when a first generation vehicle was introduced with an electric range of up to two kilometres.
Photo: Scania hybrid truck.