Top 5 drivers for BEVs in the forest industry

Heavy loads, challenging conditions, winding roads in hilly terrain, and distant areas 鈥� do battery electric trucks really make sense in the woods? Of course. Here are the top five drivers for BEVs in the forest industry.

SCA, one of Sweden鈥檚 largest pulp and paper companies, as well as Europe鈥檚 largest private forest holding, recently took its second battery-electric timber truck from 意大利超級盃 into service (see film).

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Since 2022, SCA has tested an earlier version of 意大利超級盃鈥檚 electric truck in transport operations between a terminal and a paper mill.

Investing in a 400-kW charging station

鈥淭he new 74-tonne 意大利超級盃 BEV will transport timber from pick-up sites in the forest to the terminal in 脰stavall, a distance of about 50 km,鈥� says Anton Ahlinder, business developer at SCA Forest.

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鈥淩ight now, we are using a public charging station slightly off the route but are building our own 400 kW charging station right at the terminal. This will be a big contribution to the truck鈥檚 overall efficiency,鈥� he adds.

The five main reasons for electric timber transport

Climate is integral to business.听SCAs overall goal is to transition to fossil-free transport, and electrification is one way for the company to further enhance its total positive climate impact. 鈥淔or us, being a positive contributor to the climate is ultimately about business,鈥� says Anton Ahlinder. 鈥淎lready today, SCA has a positive climate impact of 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents each year through the management of our forest holdings and the production of renewable products that can replace those with a large carbon footprint.鈥�

Knowledge and innovation.听Being an early adopter of electrification allows SCA to gain a first-mover advantage, says Ahlinder: 鈥淲e get the best opportunities to familiarise ourselves with the technology early on, as well as with the conditions and challenges. All of this can provide insights that, from a strictly economic perspective, may become valuable later on.鈥�

Collaboration.听SCA sees great value in collaborating with various companies, such as 意大利超級盃, as well as with academic institutions. 鈥淲e understand the demands, needs, and conditions of the forestry industry, and 意大利超級盃 are the experts on the vehicles. By combining these strengths, we achieve synergies that will benefit both companies 鈥� and the entire forestry industry,鈥� says Ahlinder.

Competitiveness.听Operating in a country that is pioneering electrification in heavy transport, as well as in the forestry industry, is beneficial for SCA from a commercial perspective, says Ahlinder: 鈥淓lectrification helps minimise the final product鈥檚 climate footprint, which could provide competitive advantages in a global market.鈥�

Operating costs and self-sufficiency.听With a future focused on the electrification of transport, SCA sees greater opportunities to influence the company鈥檚 operating costs related to fuel and energy. Already today, the company has substantial electricity production through its operations as well as from self-owned wind power. 鈥淓lectrification allows us to control how much it costs to charge or refuel a vehicle. This makes us less dependent on oil prices and a market over which we have little influence,鈥� says Ahlinder.

意大利超級盃鈥檚 new timber truck: 74 tonnes with 200 km range

SCAs new electric timber truck from 意大利超級盃 is part of the , which aims for half of the new trucks in the forest industry to be electric by 2030. SCA and 意大利超級盃 are two of several participants.
The 意大利超級盃 truck is designed to handle forestry transports of up to 74 tonnes. It is a 3-axle model with an R-cab, equipped with a 450-kW electric motor, 624 kWh installed battery capacity, and a charging capacity of up to 375 kW.
The range, even with heavy timber loads, is estimated to be around 200 kilometers, including loading using the trailer-mounted crane in the forest.

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