FEATURE
Scania New Zealand managing director Rafael Alvarenga introduces the new Scania 25P battery electric truck.
Scania makes the switch By Colin Smith
IT WAS MORE THAN A NEW TRUCK REVEAL. SCANIA NEW Zealand’s early-June launch of its first battery electric truck model, and a future product timetable that will introduce a new EV model each year, has involved a lot of preparation. Introducing an alternative powertrain obviously requires new service and diagnostic tools. But Scania New Zealand managing director Rafael Alvarenga says the most important task has been building competency with the technology – both within and outside the dealer network. “With the hardware we have a lot of experience globally. We can easily make a list of the things we need to support this truck and get them shipped here,” says Alvarenga. “But going through this journey we realised the most important thing was training for the different competencies, because it’s a different vehicle. You don’t have the usual diesel engine that many people know by heart and could fix while they’re wearing a blindfold. “This is a different thing because you need to take care of the high voltage. “We need to train people and you need a separate area in the
workshop to service the vehicle.” Alvarenga says it’s also important to instruct all of the other stakeholders, including customers, towing operators and emergency services on the specifics of EVs. “The vehicle will go to a body builder so they need to understand what they can do in the process of building the body,” he says. “Wherever the vehicle goes there is a need to know `what can I do and what can I not do’. “So, I would say the major point is education. Which is a journey we need to keep continuing. As we grow on this journey we will have to disseminate the knowledge down the organisation to a point where everyone will know how to touch this vehicle.” Two electric Scania’s have arrived in New Zealand as the top-selling brand in the heavy truck segment begins its zeroemissions push. Alvarenga says Scania’s global focus on alternative fuels and emissions reduction technologies also includes hydrogen and bio fuels. And while the brand also has hybrid trucks on sale in Europe, Alvarenga believes a combination of EVs and the latest Truck & Driver | 81
