Wibax gets electrified

POWER UP

ELECTRIFICATION • WIBAX IS PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF CURRENT TECHNOLOGY WITH ITS LATEST TRUCKS FROM SCANIA, SETTING RECORDS FOR ELECTRIC-POWERED HEAVY GOODS VEHICLE WEIGHTS

BASED IN THE TOWN of Piteå in northern Sweden, chemical distributor Wibax has a lot of ground to cover to serve its customers. And, in this pristine environment, it also has to pay a great deal of attention to its carbon emissions. Indeed, ever since it was established in 1986, Wibax has put sustainability high on its operational agenda and its ambition is to be a sustainable chemicals supplier that takes both people and the environment into consideration.

“We have identifi ed transport as having the biggest climate impact in our operations,

SCANIA HAS REACHED A NEW MILESTONE WITH THE

DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE ELECTRIC TRUCKS FOR WIBAX so we have to deal with this,” says CEO Jonas Wiklund. One obvious answer is to plug into the available network of green electricity in the region. “However, when vehicles weigh as much as ours do, it starts to get complicated with electric power,” Wiklund notes.

To overcome this hurdle, Wibax has been working with Scania for a long time and the two companies have developed a new truck that will shortly enter service, the fi rst of several Wibax intends to add to its fl eet. With the ability to haul a 64-tonne payload, these will be the largest ADR-approved electric truck in use. “This vehicle alone will enable us to reduce our carbon footprint by up to 1,370 tonnes of CO2, doing so with a vehicle that offers full towing capacity. In other words, this is a real game changer,” says Wiklund.

“This is the fi rst electric 64-tonner to enter service with a customer. Step by step, we are showing that electric solutions are happening very quickly and virtually across all segments,” says Fredrik Allard, head of e-mobility at Scania.

BUILD A NETWORK Just as important as designing a heavy-duty truck is having the infrastructure in place to fuel it. “Electrifi cation means that we have to optimise transport based on parameters that are different from those used today,” says Magnus Sundström, CEO of Wibax Logistics. Skellefteå Kraft has supplied a customdesigned charging station for the Piteå site and Wibax will initially use it to run trucks working on shorter runs in northern Sweden. “The vehicles that will be electrifi ed last are the longer haul ones, where range is the issue,” Sundström adds.

But gaps in the supply network cannot be used as an excuse to hold up the process of electrifi cation, as Wiklund stresses: “Electricity supply is a hotly debated issue today and, for electrifi cation to have its full impact, the entire electrical system must be strengthened. For us, this is a long-term strategic investment and we have confi dence that those who are capable electricity suppliers will ensure that we have a sustainable and strong electricity system. At the moment, it feels natural to start in northern Sweden, where we already have a stable grid with sustainably produced electricity.

“It is important for us to be at the forefront of sustainability issues. The bottom line is that it should not just look good on paper, but mean something in reality,” Wiklund says. “Lighter electric trucks have been on the market for a while, but for us it has not really been sustainable until now when we can electrify the haulage of 64-tonne loads. Our core value is ‘good chemistry’ and this initiative keeps in step with this principle. These issues have been discussed for ages, but now we are also noticing that market demand for more sustainable transport solutions is increasing, so things are really starting to happen.” www.wibax.com