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Scania Power Solutions have been dedicated to reducing operating costs and providing hugely reliable and durable marine power solutions for decades. Operating in Australia as a company-owned subsidiary, Scania Power Solutions delivers a range of workboat and pleasure craft power systems offering up to 1150 hp from V8 diesel engines.
The corporate, political and environmental shift towards decarbonising and reducing fossil fuel burn has spurred Scania towards alternative and renewable power sources, initially via the company’s on-road truck and bus product, and more recently towards its marine propulsion systems.
Introducing the E-Machine: Reliable Battery Electric Systems for Marine Applications
“Scania has long been devoted to reducing fuel consumption, and therefore emissions, using advanced technology and precise electronic controls, as well as introducing renewable fuel blends,” says André Arm, National Manager, Power Solutions for Scania Australia.
“As a leader in the global shift towards a sustainable transport solution, Scania has been investigating many different options, bearing in mind for marine application. This is a critical operating environment that cannot tolerate the failure of propulsion systems at sea.”
“In recent times, our engineers have devised marine applications of our proven battery electric truck and bus motors, developing E-Machines capable of coping with marine application, as well as the battery packs to accompany them,” André says.
“The key benefits for marine application aside from prodigious power and instant torque are obviously a huge reduction in noise, vibration and harshness compared with traditional diesel engines, as well as the reduced weight of the E-Machines. On the other hand, battery pack weight exceeds that of liquid fuel.”
“From an environmental perspective, the E-Machine battery ‘fuel’ can be extremely clean if electricity is generated from renewables, which delivers to the operator a very appealing solution. However recharging systems need to be in place wherever the vessel ties up,” he says.
Indeed, the lack of suitable charging infrastructure, grid support and even the generation of electricity through green initiatives such as renewables, all serve to hold back adoption in the Australian market.
Benefits of the E-Machine and its battery packs include significantly reduced servicing intervals and hardware maintenance, due to far fewer moving parts, and the careful sealing, protection and cooling of the electronic control components.
Aiding the Transition to Alternative Fuels Through Complete Marine Power Solutions and Modular Hybrid Options
“Scania’s aim is to deliver a complete solution to its marine customers, providing the E-Machine and battery as well as diagnostics systems and in-service support through our company-trained and authorised independent dealers’ technicians,” André says.
“We anticipate receiving E-Machines for marine use within the next 12 months and already our existing customers are expressing genuine interest in deploying this technology in their vessels, particularly those servicing the public in close to coast or harbourside environments or among natural habitats of marine wildlife.”
“We know the Australian marine industry has moved beyond expressing interest to being ready to trial real-world solutions, but at Scania we are fully aware of the need to provide commercially viable solutions, if the transition is to occur at scale, and over a realistic working life,” he says.
“We have seen several alternative fuel concepts suggested to the industry, some of which make technological sense, but not commercial sense, especially if the fuelling costs remain at unacceptable levels. That’s why we have undertaken a lot of work on low emission renewable liquid fuels for marine application, utilising the proven compression ignition engine technology fed with cleaner fuels. These make the most sense from a commercially viable perspective in the near-to-medium term time frame, as the roll out of E-Machines, suitable battery packaging and charging delivery systems continue to evolve,” André says.
“In Europe and the USA, Scania has recently revealed a hybrid marine solution, that may in time have application within the Australian market,” he says.
The Hybrid solution comprises the new compact, modular, powerful E-Machine that combines propulsion, inverter and power control unit integrated into a single system, which is then mated to a Scania combustion engine.
This is the same E-Machine that can be bolted to a gearbox for electric-only propulsion or sandwiched between a combustion engine and gearbox for a hybrid solution.
Scania’s modular design allows for a solution to be provided for almost any size of vessel.
As a single-source solution for boat builders, Scania supplies everything with the electric power system allowing all components to work seamlessly together. Additionally, the system management interface and mechanical interface – CAN J1939 and SAE 1 – simplify integration with external components for easy installation, maintenance and use.
“The growing shift toward environmentally conscious propulsion strongly aligns with Scania’s core values of creating a world of mobility that is better for business, society and the environment,” André says.
Technical Specifications of Scania's E-Machine
The Scania E-Machine provides 230 kW of continuous power, with a peak performance of 280 kW at 1,500 rpm. The oil-cooled system measures a mere 500 mm by 600 mm wide and 580 mm high and weighs just 250 kg.
The Hybrid configuration has a potential CO2 emission reduction of up to 92% (presuming the diesel engine is run on a low carbon emissions fuel such as Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil or around 83% using B100 biodiesel), while the fully electric version allows for a potential CO2 reduction of 98 percent if the electricity is generated from renewable sources.
An example of a suitable hybrid solution was revealed by Scania in Europe in the northern summer of 2024, with the release of the Marell M17.
This is a 17.4-metre aluminium patrol boat with a speed of up to 55 knots, powered by the Scania hybrid system. In this application it comprises a pair of 230 kW E-Machines and four battery packs with 104 kWh per battery, and a pair of Scania V8s with 1150 HP for support.
This installation is ideally suited to the demands of police and governmental bodies needing high-performance boats that can operate at high speed over long-distance transits, while offering a low environmental impact and able to patrol quietly and efficiently in harbours.
“This Hybrid approach would be quite suitable for several applications within Australian coastal waters,” André says. “We hope to bring this solution Down Under in the near future.”
This article was provided by Scania Australia Pty Ltd.
About Scania
Scania is a world-leading provider of transport solutions. Together with their partners and customers, they are driving the shift towards a sustainable transport system. In 2023, Scania delivered 91,652 trucks, 5,075 buses as well as 13,871 industrial and marine power systems to their customers. Net sales totalled over AUD $30 billion, of which about 20 percent were services related. Founded in 1891, Scania now operates in more than 100 countries and employs some 58,000 people. Research and development is carried out globally with their main site in Södertälje, Sweden. Production takes place in Europe and Latin America with regional product centres in Africa, Asia and Eurasia. Scania is part of TRATON GROUP. For more information visit: www.scania.com
