In the logistics development trend of the world today, the word "efficiency" is often mentioned. Efficiency encompasses not only the transit timeliness of the delivery of goods, but also the higher demands on energy efficiency. In order to reduce energy waste and reduce carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, many people will turn to hydrogen-powered trucks, electric trucks and other alternative energy sources. Scania's answer to efficiency, however, is: the diesel V8 doesn't sound environmentally friendly at all. How did Scania do it? Welcome to today's article with Tigga Commercial Vehicle Network.
From a technical point of view, the emission standards of today's mainstream countries in the world are already quite high. Europe has Euro 6D stage emissions, will also promote Euro 6E and Euro 7 emissions, China's current emission standards for China 6B, the Current standards in the United States for Tier 4 Final, has been very clean. European politicians, however, feel that diesel power is so heinous that it should have been swept into the garbage long ago. Either way, diesel engines will be around for a long time as the only power source that is reliable enough to be used on a large scale.
As a European leader in road diesel power, Scania's research into more efficient modes of transport has been underway since 2013. At the time, Scania's main engine was the 730 hp V8 engine. Since you can't squeeze more efficiency out of the engine itself, think about the transport capacity. In the typical working conditions in Europe, 10 horsepower corresponding to 1 ton weight is a more suitable choice, 730 horsepower is really oversized for standard transportation, then pull a few more trailers, stuff more goods.
Scania chose to work with Foria on a project to transport wood chips for S derenergi, an energy supplier in Stockholm, to burn and produce electricity. At the time, the Swedish authorities had no interest in the project and did not grant Scania the corresponding legal exemptions. As a result, Scania could only use the connection form of two trailers, with a total vehicle weight of no more than 60 tons, to meet the Swedish road regulations of the time. A year later, the Swedish authorities gradually saw the value of the project and relaxed the restrictions for it, relaxing the total length of the vehicle to 25.25 meters and the maximum weight to 74 tons, matching the EcoCombi restrictions at the time.
The picture above shows the R730 8x4 model in use at the time, with a standard trailer attached via an additional connection unit. The vehicle has a total of 9 axles, which distribute the axle load to the legal range and enhance passability. With this mode of transport, the vehicle's capacity is increased by 30% and fuel is saved by 10%. Later, by using specially treated FAME fuels as well as HVO fuels, CO2 emissions were also significantly reduced.
In April 2020, after completing 6 years of accident-free operation, the Swedish authorities re-examined the project. In this audit, the authorities relaxed the total weight limit of the vehicle to 98 tons, and the length limit of the vehicle to 34 meters. After completing environmental, safety and various assessments, the Swedish authorities issued Scania with a new permit to operate on the road, with a further 30 per cent higher total load.
The new vehicle adds a middle trailer to the original, which has a custom structure, built by OP H glunds, to be rolled over and unloaded. The head and tail cars remain unchanged, with a standard 8x4 swap box body and a three-axle trailer. The transport route is mainly to transport wood chips from the Södertälier railway station to the power plant, with a total length of about 20 kilometers, and the whole journey is on the E20 highway. In 2021, with the release of the new 770 hp V8 engine, the vehicles on this route were also replaced by the all-new Scania R770.
Due to the special ultra-long structure, the vehicle must hang signs at the front and rear of the vehicle to indicate the length of the vehicle and remind the rear vehicle to overtake cautiously. Since Scania did not leave signage space, the front sign was fixed directly through the front cover, which solved the problem simply and rudely.
The new R770 has received praise from drivers as well as contractors alike, and it's more powerful, more traction and a good sense of handling than previous vehicles. Although the test was only conducted in Sweden, the results will be shared across the European Union. The Swedish government, the forestry department and Scania monitor vehicles' overall fuel consumption, performance and traffic behaviour through a fleet management system.
In other european countries, there are also related practices. For example, the EcoCombi connection form we introduced to you earlier, and the EcoDuo eco-friendly dual trailer connection form that is being tested in Spain, Germany and other places. This form of transport not only enhances efficiency, but also solves the current shortage of drivers in Europe.
In China, Scania also pioneered the concept of modular car trains, which is called CMS: Chinese Modular System, a modular system for Transportation in China. Scania will work with the legislature to bring the European standard double trailer portfolio with a length of 25.25 meters to the country. Not only will it help promote more sustainable domestic transport and pave the way for more efficient road transport, it will also further promote multimodal transport, as well as cross-border road transport between China and Europe along the Belt and Road.
As a leader in driving the transition to sustainable transport, Scania has been committed to promoting an efficient and low-carbon holistic approach to transport. In addition to reducing the emission of tractors, it is more important that the best matching of vehicle hangings can achieve cost reduction and efficiency. Today, China has the world's longest and most modern road network and has become the world's largest logistics market, with all the prerequisites for building the world's most sustainable and efficient road transport system. As the research progresses, perhaps this mode of transportation is getting closer and closer to us.
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Text: Heseaotter