SCANIA SHEDS LIGHT ON ITS SOLAR TRAILER

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Autoline Exclusives features Eric Falkgrim from Scania discussing the company's innovative solar trailer project. The core concept involves integrating a large surface area of lightweight solar panels onto a 60-foot trailer, feeding energy into a 200 kWh battery pack also housed on the trailer. This system aims to supplement the electric powertrain of the tractor, potentially offering a 5-10% fuel saving even with current technology in Sweden, with projections for significantly higher gains in sunnier climates. Scania highlights benefits beyond direct powertrain support, including grid stabilization and potential new revenue streams through vehicle-to-grid functionality. Durability tests show the lightweight panels withstand a year and a half of normal operation with minimal degradation. While acknowledging past skepticism towards automotive solar applications due to cost and weight, Scania believes evolving technology and stricter CO2 regulations are creating a favorable environment for such solutions. A full-scale test is planned for early 2021, with a year of building and testing followed by analysis.