In a groundbreaking move, Norway has deployed the first-ever semi electric truck with a colossal 1,000 kWh battery capacity to tackle snow removal on its mountainous terrains with unparalleled efficiency.
An article by Michelle Lewis highlights the Norwegian Public Roads Administration’s initiative to incorporate this electric behemoth into their snow clearing operations along the E6 highway, navigating through the challenging and picturesque Dovrefjell mountain pass.
This innovative approach to snow plowing has generated considerable enthusiasm, demonstrating the potential of electric vehicles (EVs) in maintaining road safety during winter. Bjørn Laksforsmo, a divisional director at the administration, emphasized the significance of adopting electric solutions for heavy-duty tasks to meet climate objectives, hence the trial of electric snow plowing over Dovrefjell.
The electric truck showcased promising performance within a week, maintaining a robust battery life from 90% down to 28% after nearly nine hours in operation under diverse conditions, including light to heavy snowfall, strong winds, and sub-zero temperatures, covering distances with an energy consumption of 182 kWh per 100 km.
The trial aims to evaluate the truck’s endurance in severe weather, its energy consumption under various scenarios, and the optimization of its charging strategy. Manufactured by Swiss company Designwerk Technologies AG, the truck is built on a Volvo FH chassis and boasts a range of up to 560 km (348 miles) with a 50-ton load and up to 630 km (391 miles) with a 42-ton load. However, as Designwerk Technologies revealed to Electrek, energy consumption can significantly increase based on snow conditions.
This endeavor is part of a broader Norwegian strategy to explore the effectiveness of electric plows in winter conditions, following an initial experiment in 2021 with an electric wheel loader in Trondheim for clearing paths for pedestrians and cyclists, where the battery capacity proved inadequate.
Moreover, the Swedish Road Administration is exploring the feasibility of zero-emission snow plowing, with Sandefjord already witnessing the successful integration of electric plow trucks into their winter road maintenance fleet.
