Scania trials truck with solar-panelled trailer

Scania and its partners are trialling a hybrid truck with a solar panel covered trailer on public roads

The two-year research collaboration involves Scania, Uppsala University, Eksjö Maskin & Truck, Midsummer, Ernsts Express, and Dalakraft.

The solar energy decreases operational costs and local emissions significantly because of the truck’s self-produced energy. Stas Krupenia, Head of the Research Office at Scania, said: “Never before have solar panels been used to generate energy to a truck’s powertrain like we do in this collaboration. This natural energy source can significantly decrease emissions in the transport sector. It is great to be at the forefront in the development of the next generation’s trucks.”

The truck is used in a research project to examine the generated solar energy, and how much carbon emissions decrease via the solar panels. The researchers developed new, efficient, and lightweight solar panels for trucks. They also study how trucks can interact with the power grid, and bring forward new models for what will happen if several trucks like this one are connected to the power grid.    

The truck’s 18-metre trailer is almost completely covered in solar panels, equivalent to a house equipped with similarly powerful panels. The solar energy gives the hybrid truck a prolonged driving range of up to 5.000 kilometers annually in Sweden. In countries like Spain, with more sun hours, the vehicle can double the amount of solar energy and thus driving range compared to Swedish circumstances.   

The project also includes researched on new, lightweight tandem solar cells, that are based on a combination of Midsummer’s solar cells and new perovskite solar cells. These enable a higher efficiency in the transformation of sunlight to electricity. Such a solution could double the solar energy generation, compared to the current energy generated by the panels.   

One part of the project was to evaluate the charging's impact on the electricity grid and whether it would be possible to sell the surplus. The possibility of two-way charging is not entirely straightforward and the legislation is unclear.   

"We thought we would be able to buy the trucks surplus, unfortunately that is not possible at the moment. But the solar cells becoming part of the truck's energy supply is fantastic. As an electricity trading company, we see that all renewable energy sources are needed to cope with the energy transition," says Sverker Ericsson, Electrical Trade Engineer at Dalakraft.  

The truck will now be tested by operating on public roads by the haulage company Ernsts Express AB. “The whole industry is facing big challenges in general, and with fuel in particular. Electrification from renewable electricity is the future. It makes this project even greater for the green haulage company to be a part of,” says Lars Evertsson, CEO Ernsts Express.