World’s first electric highway for trucks has opened in Sweden

It can power trucks on the go using overhead wires

It can power trucks on the go using overhead wires

On June 22, Sweden became the first country to introduce an electric 2km (1.2 miles) test strip for trucks on the E16 road near the city of Gävle, about 160 km north of Stockholm. Overhead electric wires transmit power to the hybrid trucks via a current conductor on their roof called a pantograph. When the truck leaves the electrified part of the highway, the pantograph is disconnected and the truck is then powered by the combustion engine or the battery-operated electric motor. The same principle applies when the driver wants to overtake another vehicle while on the test strip. Once connected, the trucks produce zero emissions and can reach speeds up to 90 km/h (56mph).

The project is funded by the Swedish Transport Administration, the Swedish Energy Agency and a Swedish government agency that funds research and innovation called Vinnova. "Electric roads will bring us one step closer to fossil fuel-free transports, and has the potential to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions," said Lena Erixon, director general of the Swedish Transport Administration, Trafikverket. "This is one way of developing environmentally smart transports in the existing road network." 

It is part of a two-year trial by Siemens (which provides the tech) and Scania (which provides the trucks), and it is believed to be a key component in achieving Sweden’s ambition of an energy-efficient and fossil-free vehicle fleet by 2030. It can also help to strengthen Sweden’s competitiveness in the rapidly-developing area of sustainable transport. Siemens claims that E-trucks are twice as efficient as traditional engines, and is also planning another eHighway project in California in partnership with Volvo.