Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania is set to deliver electric hybrid long-haulage trucks for the eHighway research project in Germany.

The project is being co-financed by the German Government. It will test and develop electric road technology for highway transportation.

Volkswagen Group Research has partnered with Siemens to develop this technology, which is expected to enable efficient, economical and carbon-emission-free freight movement on eHighways.

The Trucks for German eHighways project will see electrically powered trucks procure power from overhead lines.

“Vehicle electrification is developing quickly and with its environmental, social and cost benefits, it will play an important role in the shift to a fossil-free transport system.”

During the next two years, these electrically-powered trucks will be tested on three new German eHighways.

The first test road will be developed at Schleswig-Holstein on the A1 Autobahn near to Lübeck, while the remaining two will be built at Hessen on the A5 Autobahn south of Frankfurt and in Baden-Württemberg on the B462 federal highway.

Scania research and development executive vice-president Claes Erixon said: “For long-haulage transport, Scania sees electric roads as one promising technology for a sustainable transport future.

“Vehicle electrification is developing quickly and with its environmental, social and cost benefits, it will play an important role in the shift to a fossil-free transport system.”

Volkswagen Group Research is responsible for the research project. It will deliver necessary resources and knowledge concerning vehicle electrification for passenger cars, as well as analysing research synergies regarding heavy commercial vehicles electrification.

Under the first phase of the project, Scania will provide two electric hybrid long-haulage prototype trucks, one equipped with a single battery with 15kWh capacity and the other with multiple batteries for greater capacity.

They will also feature a Siemens-developed pantograph power collector mounted on the frame behind the cab.