Boliden: Gävleborg becomes the first place in the world to introduce electric roads for trucks on a public road

Gävleborg is the first place in the world to introduce electric roads for trucks on a public road. Boliden is participating in the project, which aims to make transport cleaner and cheaper.

STOCKHOLM, 15-6-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — Electric road transport reduces fossil fuel emissions by up to 90 per cent and is a cheap, climate-smart way of combining the benefits of the railways with the flexibility of trucks.

“Compared with diesel, this is a cleaner, cheaper and quieter method of transport,” says Jan Nylander, who represents Region Gävleborg, which thanks to financing from the Swedish Transport Administration, along with Scania and Siemens, can build, run, test and evaluate the world’s first electrified stretch of road for heavy trucks on a public road.

How does it work?

During the test, Scania trucks equipped with an electric hybrid powertrain will be run on the roads. The power for the trucks is transferred from overhead cables using a pantograph on the roof. When the trucks arrive at the test site, the pantograph is unfolded and the engine switches over to electric power. When the truck leaves the test site, it automatically switches to propulsion using the vehicle’s diesel engine, which will run on renewable fuel.

The trucks will transport freight along a 2-km test route that is being built between the Port of Gävle and Storvik along the E16 road.

During the two-year test period, normal traffic will not be affected.

“We view this in a very positive light and it was natural for us to be part of the project. In the industry in which Boliden operates, heavy road transport is unavoidable, as our operations are often in locations where there are no other alternatives. Electrically-powered trucks are perfect for conveying large volumes between fixed points. Our own fine-grain concentrate transport between the Garpenberg mine and the Port of Gävle is one such example. We are therefore very pleased that the Gävleborg Electric Road Project has been chosen to create a demonstration route in the area where Boliden operates. Electric trucks, in combination with future permits for heavier vehicles that can carry heavier loads, provide a win-win effect. Reduced emissions and improved road safety with fewer shipments represents a significant improvement,” summarises Karl-Owe Svensson, Logistics Manager at Boliden.

Construction will commence in autumn 2015 and the first truck will roll in early 2016. The experiment will then run for two years, after which it will be evaluated.

The long-term goal is to build climate-smart solutions that benefit both transport users and the society in which transport takes place. The development, deployment and operation of electric roads nationally also creates innovative products, experiences and services that can contribute to reducing emissions globally, as well as increasing export revenues and employment in Sweden.

The investment in the Gävle Electric Road project is in line with the government’s goal of an energy-efficient and fossil fuel-free vehicle fleet by 2030. The project includes about MSEK 77 in public financing combined with about MSEK 48 in financing from the business community and the region.

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Boliden: Gävleborg becomes the first place in the world to introduce electric roads for trucks on a public road