Arctic Norwegian city gets world’s northernmost electric post truck
The 26 tons heavy battery-powered truck is now driving the 1,600 kilometers distance north from Oslo to Tromsø where it will be pioneer-testing Norway’s postal service in cold climate.
Norway Post and its Nordic distribution network Bring already have over 1,000 electric vehicles, mainly for in-town street deliveries. With its new heavy truck, however, the aim is to develop zero-emission long-distance transport solutions.
Testing in cold climate is key to successful transmission to a fully electrified fleet of trucks for the Norwegian Postal Service.
It was Minister of Climate and Environment, Sveinung Rotevatn, that unplugged that charger as the truck left the post service’s distribution center at Lørenskog outside Oslo on Monday.
“It will be very exciting to follow. How will it be with the charging? Who will different weather conditions influence the range, the minister said in a video-tweet. He added: “This is the future, this is what we need more of.”
High electric car sales
Norway is a world leader in sales of electric cars, with a market share reaching 64% in July.
Minister Rotevatn, however, says there are still too many diesel-powered trucks on the roads. “We have to focus on batteries, biogas, hydrogen, the alternatives.”
The Norwegian government has initiated a process aimed at introducing a new regulation by 2022 calling on all public sectors, state and regional, to only buy zero-emission cars and lighter vehicles. By 2025, all city-busses should new city busses will be driving without combustion engines.
Meanwhile, all eyes are on the heavy postal truck to drive the roads around Tromsø this winter. Tromsø is 350 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Hybrid-powered electric cruise ship navigates Northwest Passage, CBC News
Finland: Finnish climate panel: Electric cars cheaper in the long run, Yle News
Norway: Electric cars hit record 50% sales in northernmost Norway, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Mining boost in Russian central Arctic to feed electric vehicle market, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Giant battery factory bringing economic boom to Northern Swedish city, Radio Sweden
United States: Alaska’s first, electric public transit bus ready to hit Anchorage streets, Alaska Public Media
