Scania Stays Ahead In Hybrid And Alternative Fuel Technologies for CVs

Scania is surging ahead in sustainable transport solutions with hybridisation of trucks using a wide range of alternative fuels that are compatible for their latest generation Euro 6 engines. Recently, the company unveiled its latest 18-tonne diesel hybrid truck that combines electric and biodiesel operation. The truck can run solely on electric power for up to two kilometres and its 320 hp IC engine can run on 100 percent bio-diesel, bio-ethanol and HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil), apart from conventional diesel and CNG. In India too, the company is pioneering the bio-fuel transportation with concerted research and cooperative ventures with different state and non-state agencies.

The Volkswagen Group-owned Scania is perhaps the only commercial vehicle brand in Europe that is offering a wide range of products with alternative fuels and powertrains compliant to Euro 6 emission standards. In fact, Scania was the first CV maker to launch Euro 6 engines and first to sell a range of engines based on three different biodiesel (FAME fuel) platforms, which can provide up to 65 percent CO2 reduction. Early this year, the company also gave nod for using HVO in existing Euro V and Euro VI engines.

The Hybrid power unit in Scania Hybrid P320 Truck

The latest offering in this regard is the Scania Hybrid P 320 4x2 with 18-tonne GVW, a diesel hybrid truck that is currently in the final stages of testing in Europe. In this truck, electric power coalesced with a 9-liter diesel engine delivering 320 hp of power that can run entirely on biodiesel or HVO. Scania claims that use of bio-fuels in this truck results in CO2 emission reduction as high as 92 percent. Pure-electric operation up to two kilometers is primarily intended for urban situations such as cargo delivery at night in noise sensitive and zero-emission areas or driving through warehouses and car parks where exhaust fumes are undesirable.

With over 20 years of R & D in bio-fuel applications across globe with successful operational and environmental results, Scania is an active proponent of sustainable transport and public transit solutions. Scania's global array of biodiesel engines for trucks at present range from 250 to 580 hp power outputs and are suitable from light service to heavy operations. The technology is well-developed and reliable for intense everyday city usages, adds the company.

Scania's ED95 engine series (Euro 4 compliant), that powers the Scania Metrolink range of Inter-city buses that are currently sold in India, is unique to the CV industry as they can run on a fuel mixture of 95% ethanol and 5% ignition improver. Moreover, Scania India also claims that its entire line-up of diesel engine sold in India can run on ethanol and bio-diesels. Bio-diesels are smart, inexpensive, and easy to handle alternate fuels that have huge potentials in countries like India.

GREEN BUS PROJECT: An ethanol-run Scania bus under trail-run in Nagpur.

Over the past three years since their entry, Scania India has been active in discussing bio-fuels with various state agencies and industry stakeholders. In September last year, the company launched India's first alternative fuel powered bus run by ethanol in Nagpur on a trial-run basis. Its engine is BS Stage -5 compliant. It has already started working on a pilot facility for 100 bio-ethanol and bio-gas buses in the city of Nagpur.

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