During the IAA show, Scania announced the expansion of its biomethane offer for heavy trucks with two new engines. The 13-liter engines offer 420 and 460 hp and between them they cover most of the high-power demand of the European truck market, including long-haul trucks. This launch goes hand in hand with the manufacturer’s major NGV initiative announced earlier this year, when several new natural gas tank solutions were introduced.
The interest for locally produced biomethane for trucks is rapidly increasing, stimulated by the ambition to decarbonize road transport and abandon fossil gas. Biomethane has the ability to reduce CO2 by up to 90% from a well-to-wheel perspective. The combination of powerful engines and tank solutions that provide longer ranges than ever before (in both bio-CNG and bio-LNG tanks) give all kinds of haulers the opportunity to choose biomethane-based truck solutions.
“Tractor-and-trailer combinations for long haul applications with train weights of 40 tons can now expect ranges of up to 1400 km with liquefied biomethane in their tanks,” said Stefan Dorski, Senior Vice President and Head of Scania Trucks. “Since the networks of available filling stations are also expanding rapidly, trucks with gas engines have become a really strong alternative for customers who want to phase out the use of fossil fuels and reduce their CO2 footprint.”
Gas engine-powered trucks are an important cornerstone of Scania’s adherence to its stated Science-Based Targets, the company’s commitment to reduce the CO2 emissions from the use of its products by 20% overall until 2025, with 2015 as the baseline. According to Scania, electrification and reduced consumption from combustion engines will not be enough to reach the company’s own targets and the targets stipulated by the Paris Agreement; all available means must be used.
The new engines are based on the renowned 13-liter gas engine that Scania has offered for several years. By increasing their engine power levels and preparing them for future legal demands, Scania is demonstrating its intention to gain an even bigger market share in the natural gas truck business, with sustainability in focus:
“We see quite a potential in biomethane from a commercial perspective,” added Dorski. “With the kind of flexibility, total operating economy and range we now can offer, I am convinced that customers will recognize what a great solution this is. Also, markets where gas used to be a marginal factor are now realizing how much more attractive this fuel has become in the past few years. Operating gas engine trucks is simple compared to other alternatives and does not mean that you have to give up anything in drivability, flexibility or driver comfort.”
True to Scania’s gas heritage, the new natural gas engines work with complete combustion of both the fuel and the oxygen, without any need for diesel or AdBlue. The power stroke is initiated by spark plugs, as is the case with gasoline engines. The pre-mixing of the gas fuel takes place in the intake manifold on the way into the cylinders.
An important goal for Scania’s engineers was to ensure the best possible drivability, with Scania’s Super diesel engines as the benchmark for performance and characteristics. In a direct comparison with a diesel engine of the same power level, the most noticeable difference for a layman would probably be that the gas engine runs quieter.
The new 13-liter natural gas engines are paired with Scania’s latest Opticruise gearboxes (G25), Scania’s automated gear-changing system. This means that the driver gets smooth, first-class gear changing and drive comfort, with fast, uninterrupted gear selections. The maximum torque from the new gas engines is very close to what their diesel siblings offer, and just like them the gas engines will offer substantial fuel-saving capabilities. Orders for the new gas engines can be placed from Q3 2023.
Source: Scania
