During the two-year trial, Sweden's Transport Administration Trafikverket and Gävleborg County aim to create a knowledge base on whether the Siemens eHighway system is suitable for future long-term commercial use and further deployment.

“By far the greatest part of the goods transported in Sweden goes on the road, but only a limited part of the goods can be moved to other traffic types. That is why we must free the trucks from their dependence on fossil fuels, so that they can be of use also in the future. Electric roads offer this possibility and are an excellent complement to the transport system,” commented Anders Berndtsson, chief strategist at the Swedish Transport Administration.

A sensor system enables the pantograph (a rod carrying current) to connect to and disconnect from the overhead line at speeds of up to 90km/h. Trucks equipped with the system draw power from the overhead catenary wires as they drive, enabling them to travel with zero local emissions. Thanks to the hybrid system, operation outside of the contact line is also possible, thus maintaining the flexibility of conventional trucks.

Siemens is currently developing another eHighway demonstration project in California. This project is being undertaken in collaboration with vehicle manufacturer Volvo on behalf of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). Tests will be conducted throughout 2017 to see how different truck configurations interact with the eHighway infrastructure in the vicinity of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.