Swedish Timber Haulier Puts Scania 560 S Through Its Paces On Mountain Roads, Sees Improved Fuel Efficiency

---

The 560 S has shown impressive fuel-efficiency gains that can reach 6 fewer litres per 100 kilometres when compared with the Scania R 490. (Photo courtesy of Scania.)

Twice a week, driver Jerry Olofsson of Herbert Ulfhielm Fjärrtransport hauls timber products from the Swedish city of Skellefteå to the Norwegian port of Bodø, where he picks up wood chips, tyres, and waste products using Scania’s new 560 S test truck. This grueling field test ventures through steadily climbing mountain roads in the foothills of the Scandinavian Mountains, a drive sometimes requiring Olofsson to navigate in snowstorms and temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Celsius.

“It’s vital to be able to trust the truck and vital that it does not stop,” says Olofsson. “That’s absolutely the most important thing: that it must not stop! Everything else can break, but the engine must work when it’s that cold. It’s a matter of life and death.”

Fuel Efficiency Gains

Lars Åström, co-owner of Herbert Ulfhielm Fjärrtransport, was surprised by the large difference in fuel consumption figures Olofsson was reporting, so much so that both Åström and Olofsson thought they’d made a mistake in the calculations.

“You are used to trucks where if you get under 40 litres per 100 kilometres, then you are quite happy,” says Olofsson. “But during the latest trips now, I’ve sometimes been below 34 or even 33 litres—and that’s with the truck loaded with heavy timber products.”

---

“You sit well and you live well in a Scania,” says Herbert Ulfhielm Fjärrtransport driver Jerry Olofsson. “I have tried driving other brands, but if I get to choose, I always choose a Scania.” (Photo courtesy of Scania.)

Åström estimates the fuel-efficiency improvements to be about 6 fewer litres per 100 kilometres vs. Scania’s R 490. “Some weeks there has been an even bigger difference between our Scania R 490 and this one,” he says. “The 490 has been at around 38 to 40 litres and this one has been fairly constant lately at 32 to 33 litres. Bear in mind that we still do not really drive the best roads and most of the time we’re carrying loads of up to 60 tonnes.”

Improved Power & Performance

The difficult mountain roads can prove to be a challenge for some trucks, and Herbert Ulfhielm Fjärrtransport has found the 560’s new powertrain more stable and reliable. “I can say that this truck and powertrain have lived up to my expectations,” Åström says. “I can recommend it to other customers to try, especially because of the lower fuel consumption, which makes a big difference to our business. I can definitely imagine buying it.”

Find The Right Scania Truck

Visit Truck Locator to find a big selection of new and used Scania trucks for sale.

Source: Scania