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The transition towards electrified freight transport

Charging station for electric cars on a background of a truck
Photographer: Scharfsinn86/ Istock

A transition to electrified freight transport is seen as a large and important step in reducing the freight sector’s impact on the climate. How the freight transport system changes, and the effect of new technology on this, depends on which type of transport system you focus on.

For example, you may have different preconditions and limitations depending on whether you focus on deliveries in cities, regional transport or long-haul, heavy transport. Below, we present two electrification projects with different aims – two research projects run by Linköping University’s Logistics and Quality Management division (LOGQ).

The projects are called REEL and E-charge, and have in common that they both run from 2021 to 2024 and take place within the programme Vehicle Strategic Research and Innovation (FFI). REEL is led by Closer/Lindholmen Science Park, and the E-charge project is led by Lindholmen Science Park.

REEL och E-charge

REEL

REEL is a national initiative where leading Swedish actors have come together to accelerate the transition to regional, electrified emissions-free heavy transport on our roads. Within the initiative, some 60 different regional logistic flows are established, operated and evaluated through various kinds of driving work. The project addresses, for example, questions of the effects of a transition to electrified transport, how companies’ business models are affected, as well as the design and placement of charging infrastructure.

Logistics and quality development are primarily explored through a work package that focusses on business models and financing models. The work includes asking about the natures of business models for the different actors within the transport system, and how they are affected by a transition to electrified regional freight transport.

E-charge

The focus of E-charge is the truly long-haul freight transport (longer than 500 kilometres). Within the framework of this project, vehicles are to be tested in a number of specially chosen flows, and charged using, among other things, high power charging. Parties involved in the project include Scania, Volvokoncernen, ABB, Cirkle K, OKQ8, ICA Sverige AB, DB Schenker, and Tommy Nordberh Åkeri, as well as Vattenfall and other energy companies and electricity grid owners. Several researchers from the Swedish Electromobility Centre (SEC) are involved in the project, and Lindholmen Science Park leads and coordinates the project.

LOGQ is represented within SEC, and are involved in the project. The project focus will be on studying the effects of the transition on the logistics system in terms of costs and delivery.

More information on the project can be found on Vinnova’s website.

E-charge

An illustration showing hands who holds signs with text about cleaner transports

E-Charge

E-Charge gathers 14 actors that in collaboration develop, test and demonstrate battery electric long-haul trucks. The tests will be carried out on real logistic flows in Sweden and will be adapted to the drivers’ driving and resting times. Scalable system solutions are developed in cooperation, with the power to accelerate the development towards more sustainable transports. Participating are: ABB, Chalmers, Circle K, DB Schenker, ICA, OKQ8, Lindholmen Science Park, Linköping University, Lunds University, Scania, Tommy Nordbergh Åkeri, Uppsala University, Vattenfall, Volvo

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