Gothenburg to Malaga: Long Journey on 100% Electricity

Friday November 1st marked a significant milestone as our first all-electric transport from Gothenburg to Malaga commenced. Our experienced driver, Niklas Svensson, embarked on a pioneering journey, marking a milestone for the BHS group by covering such an extensive distance solely using electric energy.

The journey began with the opening of the doors to a Volvo EL tractor unit in Gothenburg, rented by our haulier JTW via Volvo Truck Center.

While finding charging opportunities was not an issue, accessing the charging stations proved challenging due to insufficient space for the trailer.

Niklas departed from Gothenburg on Friday Nov 1st, and reached France by Monday. On Tuesday he unloaded goods in Pamplona and completed the journey via Madrid to Malaga by Wednesday, Nov 6.

The entire trip covers approximately 6,516 kilometers, powered solely by electricity.

Here are some key facts:

• Exact distance: 6,516 km
• Driving hours: Approximately 90 hours
• Number of charges: 37 (plus 6 unsuccessful attempts)
• Time spent at charging stations: 42 hours
• Number of loads/unloads: 10
• Additional notes: Trailer detached 36 times, used 29 apps for charging, utilized 22 of them…

Niklas shared his thoughts on the journey:

“Firstly, it was an incredible opportunity to test something in a real-world scenario. Making the decision on a Tuesday and setting off on Friday with a vehicle ‘from the yard’ on a trip under normal conditions with regular customers is unprecedented for a commercial journey of this length.

The vehicle, a Volvo FH Electric from Volvo Truck Center, is fantastic to work with. It’s incredibly pleasant to operate in a quiet environment and very user-friendly.

Is this the future of long-haul transport?

This particular vehicle had a somewhat limited range, but a new model coming next year should address this issue. The biggest challenge today is the infrastructure, particularly the space for trucks. I’ve had to detach the trailer nearly 40 times, drive against one-way streets, use blocks to get over curbs, squeeze through height restrictions, and navigate city centres in search of charging stations, with all the associated height and truck restrictions.

However, with proper infrastructure, the vehicle can run for 4.5 hours and charge in about 45 minutes. If there are economic incentives, it would be a dream to work with” Niklas concludes.