Scania Enables Electric Long-Haul Transport With Up to 720 Kilometres of Range, Expanded Battery Capacity and Megawatt Charging

Scania launches batteries behind cab

(IN BRIEF) Scania has developed a battery-electric long-haul truck configuration capable of delivering up to 720 kilometres of range by combining additional battery capacity behind the cab, chassis-mounted batteries, improved aerodynamics and Megawatt Charging System compatibility. A typical setup uses two MP20 battery packs behind the cab, adding approximately 356 kWh of installed capacity while preserving flexibility around payload and vehicle configuration. Scania’s protruding IVD front enables selected 6×2*4 tractor units to work with standard European trailers even where overall vehicle length exceeds 16.5 metres, while maintaining practical turning performance. The front can also reduce energy consumption by up to 3% on battery-electric vehicles, depending on specification and operating conditions. Scania said the solution is designed around the practical requirements of long-haul operations, including distance, load, trailer compatibility and charging strategy. Combined with MCS fast charging, the configuration is intended to make battery-electric trucks viable for more demanding freight routes that have traditionally been difficult to electrify.

(PRESS RELEASE) STOCKHOLM, 15-Sep-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Scania is introducing a long-haul battery-electric truck configuration designed to address some of the most demanding requirements of road freight electrification by combining expanded battery capacity, Megawatt Charging System (MCS) compatibility and practical vehicle packaging to deliver a range of up to 720 kilometres.

The solution is intended for transport operators that need electric trucks to cover long distances while maintaining payload capability, standard trailer compatibility and charging schedules suited to real-world freight operations.

Scania achieves the additional range by combining chassis-mounted batteries with extra battery capacity installed behind the cab. This arrangement allows customers to increase total onboard energy without relying exclusively on battery packs fitted within the chassis, giving operators greater flexibility when balancing range, payload and vehicle configuration.

In a typical configuration, two MP20 battery packs can be installed behind the cab, adding approximately 356 kWh of installed battery capacity in addition to the batteries mounted on the chassis and beneath the cab.

Combined with MCS charging, the larger energy capacity is designed to support demanding electric long-haul operations while enabling shorter, more productive charging stops.

Scania said long-distance electrification requires a broader systems approach than simply increasing battery size. Vehicle length, axle configuration, trailer compatibility, bodywork requirements, payload and charging strategy all influence whether an electric truck can perform effectively in everyday transport operations.

The company’s solution therefore combines the battery-behind-cab layout with its protruding IVD — Increased Vehicle Dimension — front.

This configuration enables selected 6×2*4 tractor units to operate with standard European trailer combinations while accommodating the additional battery installation, even where total vehicle length exceeds 16.5 metres.

The design is also intended to preserve practical turning characteristics, allowing operators to increase electric range without compromising the trailer compatibility required for conventional European long-haul transport.

Scania said the new front can also improve aerodynamic performance. When combined with a battery-electric vehicle, it can reduce energy consumption by up to 3%, depending on vehicle specification and operating conditions.

Aerodynamic improvements are particularly important for electric trucks because wind resistance accounts for a significant share of energy consumption at long-haul driving speeds.

Lars Gustafsson, Senior Vice President and Head of Solutions Management at Scania, said electric trucks are already operating within the transport system, but long-haul freight presents a different combination of challenges involving range, payload and charging.

He said the new configuration demonstrates how these requirements can be addressed together for customers seeking to electrify more demanding long-distance routes.

Scania is positioning the solution as a way for operators to configure battery-electric trucks around specific transport assignments rather than treating maximum range as an isolated objective.

Depending on the route, operators can select the battery configuration that best balances vehicle weight, cargo capacity and energy requirements while using high-power MCS charging to minimise charging downtime.

The approach is intended to expand the number of freight assignments that can be carried out with battery-electric trucks, particularly operations where longer daily distances have historically made electrification more difficult.

Gustafsson said the significance of the new layout extends beyond relocating battery packs. By combining higher energy capacity, vehicle packaging and rapid charging from the outset, Scania aims to make electric operation practical on routes that have traditionally been among the hardest parts of road freight to decarbonise.

Depending on configuration and operating conditions, the system supports an electric range of up to 720 kilometres.

Selected vehicles can gain approximately 356 kWh of additional installed capacity behind the cab, while the combination with Scania’s IVD front can reduce energy use by up to 3%.

The overall solution is designed around selected 6×2*4 long-haul tractor configurations, standard European trailers and MCS charging, giving operators another pathway for replacing combustion-engine vehicles on demanding long-distance assignments.

FACTS:

• Electric range of up to 720 kilometres, depending on configuration and operating conditions
• Up to 3 percent lower energy consumption on battery-electric vehicles when combined with the new front, depending on specification and operation
• Expanded installed battery capacity, including two MP20 battery packs mounted behind the cab in a typical configuration
• Adds approximately 356 kWh installed capacity behind the cab, depending on configuration
• Designed to support MCS charging for shorter and more productive charging stops in long-haul operations
• Supports selected long-haul 6×2*4 tractor configurations with standard European trailer combinations
• Works together with Scania’s IVD front to enable total vehicle length above 16.5 metres

Explore Scania’s electric solutions here.

Media Contact:

Alexandra Österplan
Marketing Communications Manager
Phone: +46 735 667 121
E-mail: alexandra.osterplan@scania.com

SOURCE: Scania