Scania plans to make its first field tests of battery-electric buses in the northern Swedish city of Östersund. Three Scania Citywide LF buses will begin operations at the end of 2017, and an additional three buses will be added in early 2019. The e-buses will be operated by Norwegian firm Nettbuss.

Scania presently offers a range of buses and coaches that use alternative fossil fuels, as well as hybrids. “By adding battery electric buses, we will complement this broad range with buses particularly for inner-city operations,” says Anna Carmo e Silva, Head of Scania Buses and Coaches.

Two new charging stations will be built in Östersund to supply the six buses at both ends of the 14-kilometre bus line. With 10-minute charging, buses will run every 15 minutes for a total of 100 journeys each day.

“Östersund, with its seasonal climate of cold winters and moderately warm summers, is the ideal location for testing performance in actual operations,” says Anna Carmo e Silva, Head of Scania Buses and Coaches.

Source: Scania