Skip to main content

World's first eHighway opens in Sweden

Today sees the opening of the world's first eHighway in Sweden. For the next two years, a Siemens catenary system for trucks will be tested on a two-kilometre stretch of the E16 highway north of Stockholm. The trial will use two diesel hybrid vehicles manufactured by Scania and adapted, in collaboration with Siemens, to operate under the catenary system The core of the system is an intelligent pantograph combined with a hybrid drive system. A sensor system enables the pantograph to connect to and disconn
June 22, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Today sees the opening of the world's first eHighway in Sweden. For the next two years, a 189 Siemens catenary system for trucks will be tested on a two-kilometre stretch of the E16 highway north of Stockholm. The trial will use two diesel hybrid vehicles manufactured by Scania and adapted, in collaboration with Siemens, to operate under the catenary system

The core of the system is an intelligent pantograph combined with a hybrid drive system. A sensor system enables the pantograph to connect to and disconnect from the overhead line at speeds of up to 90 km per hour. Trucks equipped with the system draw power from the overhead catenary wires as they drive, enabling them to travel efficiently and with zero local emissions.

The hybrid system enables operation outside of the contact line, maintaining the flexibility of conventional trucks. The eHighway technology features an open configuration, meaning that other solutions, such as battery or natural gas, can be implemented as an alternative to the diesel hybrid drive system used in Sweden. This allows the system to be adapted flexibly to the specific application.

Transport accounts for more than one third of Sweden's CO2 emissions, with almost half of that coming from freight transport. As part of its climate protection strategy, Sweden has committed to having a fossil fuel independent transport sector by 2030.

During the two-year trial, Sweden's Transport Administration 6301 Trafikverket and Gävleborg County plan to create a knowledge base to determine whether the Siemens eHighway system is suitable for future long-term commercial use and further deployment.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • RAC survey shows big safety gains with average speed enforcement
    January 11, 2017
    Cheaper and easier communications are providing authorities with new options for influencing driver behaviour. Colin Sowman reports. It’s official; Average speed cameras (ASCs) cut the number of fatal or serious injury crashes by more than a third.
  • Measuring alertness to avert drowsy driver incidents
    December 21, 2015
    Falling asleep at the wheel is the primary cause in thousands of deaths on American and other roads, with truck drivers the most at-risk group. David Crawford investigates measures to counter drowsy driving.
  • Low-carbon mobility, one village at a time
    July 15, 2024
    Shantha Bloemen of Mobility for Africa, winner of this year's Movmi Empower Women in Shared Mobility Award, talks to Beate Kubitz about creative and practical solutions for transportation in the world’s rural areas – and why investment is still needed
  • European ideal poses local problems for toll companies
    December 16, 2013
    Being the first organisation attempting to implement an interoperable system poses challenges and increases risk that must be managed to realise the benefits. The European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) legislation aims to avoid the problems experienced in the USA and provide road users with seamless travel across the EU but it can pose big problems for some toll operators. Take, for instance, the case of the Humber Bridge in the UK. Its case was highlighted at the recent ITS World Congress by Tim Gammons,