Scania & DHL Test Electric Truck with Range Extender

DHL and Scania develop an electric truck with a fuel-powered generator for seamless battery-electric transport.

Bonn, Sodertalje - Deutsche Post AG., (DHL Group) a logistics company, and Scania AB., a subsidiary of Volkswagen Truck & Bus GmbH and a commercial vehicles manufacturer, have developed an electric truck with a fuel-powered generator, allowing a transition to battery-electric road transport without waiting for a full charging network.

While fully electric vehicles are the future of sustainable transport, challenges like limited charging infrastructure, high depot charging costs during peak seasons, and grid strain on high-demand days remain. DHL and Scania’s Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) addresses these obstacles, enabling DHL to operate on 80-90% renewable electricity while ensuring greater flexibility and reliability in their transport operations.

Mr. Tobias Meyer, CEO of DHL Group, said, "It is going to take some time before renewable electricity, the grid and charging infrastructure are available and robust enough to rely fully on battery-electric trucks, especially for a large-scale system like the German parcel network of DHL. DHL and Scania are collaborating on a pragmatic solution for making logistics more sustainable and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 80%. We see this collaboration as a successful innovation project of two companies committed to battle climate change."

The EREV is a 10.5-meter, 40-ton truck powered by a 230 kW (295 kW peak) electric motor, with energy from a 416-kWh battery and a 120-kW fuel-powered generator. Initially running on petrol, the generator will later transition to diesel/HVO, extending the truck's range up to 800 km. Software can limit generator use to reduce CO2 emissions. With a top speed of 89 km/h, it can carry around 1,000 parcels in a swap body and tow an additional trailer. The vehicle will be used for main carriage transport between Berlin and Hamburg.

Mr. Christian Levin, CEO of Scania, said, "The future is electric, but perfect must not be the enemy of good as we are getting there. The vehicle we have developed together with DHL is an example of interim solutions that can enhance the scaling of decarbonised heavy transport before the transport system eventually becomes 100 percent electrified."

DHL and Scania’s EREV will be tested for parcel transport between Berlin and Hamburg before fleet expansion. It features a fuel-powered generator, replacing one battery pack, providing backup energy when needed. With a range of 650 to 800 km, it can refuel at petrol stations if required, compared to Scania’s 550-km fully electric trucks.