Scania, SKF, and LOTS Group are collaborating to promote sustainable logistics by launching one of Europe’s longest routes for battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
The route, operated in partnership with Ahréns Åkeri, is expected to significantly reduce emissions. The goal is to achieve a 97% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions (WtW) while optimising transport efficiency, with 85% of the vehicle's annual mileage completed with full loads.
The route will cover a total of 221,000 km per year, resulting in a saving of 298 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. This is equivalent to Sweden's annual CO₂ emissions of 210 passenger cars. The initiative demonstrates that implementing electric transport is a viable strategy for creating sustainable logistics solutions. In Europe, 60% of all road freight travels more than 300 km per day, showing that even the more complex and extensive parts of the transport system have the potential for electrification.
A collaboration for reduced emissions
“This partnership is a significant step forward in transitioning to sustainable logistics. Through collaboration between transport buyers, carriers, and charging partners, we are not only reducing emissions but also maximising utilisation, which is key to economically sustainable transport. Our goal is for this to become a benchmark for future logistics solutions in Europe,” says Johan Palmqvist, Managing Director Europe, LOTS Group.
“This collaboration helps us ensure energy efficient and environmentally friendly transports to our customers, who support our ambition to reach net zero climate impact in the whole value chain,” says Måns Isacsson, Logistics Manager, SKF Sverige.
Partnership
The goal is to create recurring loops with guaranteed volumes and high vehicle utilisation to reduce the financial risk of investing in green technology. This way, the project shows that sustainable logistics can be environmentally friendly and cost-effective. The plan for implementing electric vehicles is phased, with flows being verified in early 2025 and full-scale operation planned for mid-year.
Hampus Ahrén, Operations Manager at Ahréns Åkeri, says: “By ensuring full capacity utilisation in both directions and optimised charging, we not only see significant environmental benefits but also a substantial improvement in operational efficiency. Long-term contracts and stable volumes enable us to invest in green technology, making this partnership both sustainable and economically advantageous.”
The partnership will validate all operational parameters, including optimising energy usage, electricity pricing, and maximising vehicle utilisation, before transitioning to full two-shift operations.
“At Scania, we are enthusiastic about seeing how collaboration between leading industrial players paves the way for electric transport and redefines the logistics system as a whole. The partnership between SKF, LOTS, and Scania demonstrates that freight transport with battery electric vehicles is feasible, not just for shorter urban routes but also for long-distance and heavy transport. This partnership aligns with Scania’s purpose to drive the shift towards a sustainable transport system,” says Gustaf Sundell, Head of Scania Ventures and New Business.
LOTS Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Scania, is a platform that connects transport buyers to optimise logistics services. Through Scania’s control tower, transport flows are coordinated, while LOTS Group performs route optimisation and charging management using digital tools to improve resource efficiency. LOTS and Scania are developing electric transport solutions, offering customers sustainable and efficient options.
