Horse powertrain joins scania electric timber truck pilot

Horse Powertrain has been selected by Scania to provide its advanced range-extender system for the pilot vehicle, currently operating as a heavy-duty timber truck in Sweden. The collaboration marks an important step in testing hybrid powertrain solutions for demanding transport applications such as forestry logistics.

The pilot forms part of the Scania Pilot Partner program and is currently operating in Sweden under SCA, one of Europe’s largest forestry companies.

The vehicle is built to handle Sweden’s most demanding timber routes, transporting heavy loads through steep and remote terrain where access to charging infrastructure remains scarce. By combining a powerful battery-electric drivetrain with the generator designed In Sweden by Horse Powertrain’s division Aurobay Technologies, the truck achieves both long-distance capability and reduced CO₂ emissions.

The test route covers approximately 16 km, with an operational target of completing 7–8 rounds per day – comparable to a diesel truck and delivering slightly higher productivity than a pure battery-electric truck due to avoided charging downtime.

The configuration supports the truck’s battery packs with a 120-kW range-extender unit based on Horse Powertrain’s 2.0 liter high-efficiency multi-fuel engine. Acting purely as an onboard charger, the unit supplies electric energy when required. For instance, during long hauls, temperature extremes, or unexpected delays,

Matias Giannini, CEO at Horse Powertrain, said:   “Forestry logistics represents one of the toughest challenges for electrification. The forest roads of northern Sweden demand strength, range and reliability. Charging stations are few, but the timber never waits. You can think of our range-extender as a powerbank for a heavy-duty truck: silent, efficient, and always there when you need it. By partnering with Scania and drawing on our engineering excellence, we’re proving how a compact, high-efficiency range-extender enables electric trucks to operate reliably in the most demanding environments. It’s a technology that cuts CO₂ now.”

Tony Sandberg, Vice President at Scania Pilot Partner added: “What we’re doing in Sweden with Horse Powertrain and SCA builds directly on the 100-day trial we ran together with a logistics partner in Germany earlier this year. That vehicle logged almost 22,000 kilometers and drove more than 90 percent of the time on pure electric power, only using the range-extender when no charging was available. The result was a CO₂ reduction of over 90 percent compared with a diesel truck. Those learnings give us a strong foundation as we tailor the system for demanding Nordic timber operations.”

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Source: Horse Powertrain via Cision
Image credit: Horse Powertrain