Scania deploys first hybrid trucks in the Defense sector

At Eurosatory in Paris, Scania handed over the first of three hybrid trucks to FMV (the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration) as part of a joint development project. Indeed, FMV purchased the vehicles with the aim of testing and further developing the technology in close dialogue between industry, authority and end user. The hybrid trucks will be used to better understand the opportunities that electrified powertrains can bring to military applications.

The customer will also evaluate the ability to use the vehicle’s battery and generator to supply power to external equipment, such as command posts, sensor equipment or temporary camps. In technical terms, Scania’s hybrid solution is a plug-in parallel hybrid, where the combustion engine and electric motor can power the vehicle either separately or together. The electric range is approximately 70 to 80 kilometres, depending on use, load and conditions.

Scania hybrid trucks: the main technical features

More into details, the vehicle can also be used as a mobile energy platform. This means it can supply electricity to external equipment even when the vehicle is stationary. The battery capacity of the current solution is 208 kWh. At around 75 percent state of charge, this corresponds to approximately 156 kWh of available energy. The vehicle can provide around four hours of continuous AC power supply, and the battery can be charged from 0 to 100 percent using the combustion engine in approximately 45 to 60 minutes at idle.

Scania is now exploring how the production of hybrid trucks for defence applications can be industrialised. “The defence sector is facing changing requirements, where power supply, mobility and flexibility are becoming increasingly important. Through this cooperation with FMV, we can develop and evaluate hybrid technology under real conditions, while also demonstrating how Scania’s industrial capability can contribute to future defence solutions,” commented Stefano Fedel, Head of Scania Commercial. “We see clear potential for hybrid solutions in heavy military vehicles. It is about combining robustness and mobility with new opportunities for power supply and quieter operation. For Scania, this is an important step in the development of future defence solutions”.