Euronews.green writes that on average, a truck has an estimated lifespan of 15-20 years, meaning that there are a number of old heavy-duty vehicles transiting European countries. Eric Falkgrim, technology leader for vehicle design at Scania, said that "we're exploring all sorts of options and looking at solar powered trucks was one of those options".
While battery-electric trucks are a logical next step, given the direction vehicle manufacturers go, in general, solar powered ones might have an upper hand and Eric believes that "if the efficiency increases and the costs keep decreasing, at some point it'll be worth it. And that's what we're trying to explore."
Long-distance trucks are made of two components, the tractor and the trailer. While the tractor can be electric, it can only store so much power in its battery. Alternatively, Scania and experts at the University of Uppsala developed a trailer packed with solar panels, that can store as much as three times more power than the tractor alone.
This means that it can be connected to a hybrid tractor, so that it can run on clean power when hauling cargo for longer distances, thanks to the electricity stored in the back. Scania officials say that the trailer can store about 200 kWh of power.
"In addition to that, you can also get dynamic charging - well, if the sun is out - and so you're actually charging while you're driving, which is a big upside to having the panels on the truck, rather than on the side of the road", they added.
Preliminary testing from using a solar trailer with a traditional diesel truck shows that fuel consumption could be reduced by about 40% per transport. There are many things that need to be addressed before this technology reaches the market, such as safety and efficiency, but engineers will continue their work to make sure that everything is ready before scaling.
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