Scania has signed a long-term agreement with Italian manufacturer Prinoth to expand the use of its industrial battery technology in electric snow groomers, taking electrification into demanding alpine operating conditions.
The partnership will support Prinoth’s Husky E-Motion and newly introduced Leitwolf E-Motion, with both machines powered by Scania Core 800 battery packs.
For heavy vehicle and equipment fleet operators, the collaboration offers an example of battery technology being applied to specialist machinery where cold temperatures, steep terrain and sustained workloads place significant demands on performance.
Electrification faces an alpine test
Snow grooming involves moving heavy volumes of snow while operating on steep slopes in low temperatures. Batteries must deliver the required power while coping with vibration and harsh conditions.
Elin Åkerström, Managing Director of Scania Industrial Batteries, said these requirements made the partnership a significant technical challenge.
“This requires batteries that can deliver high power, withstand cold climates, and handle vibrations,” she said.
The agreement builds on an existing collaboration that began with the Husky E-Motion, introduced in 2022 and described by the companies as the world’s first market-ready fully electric snow groomer.
Since its launch, the machine has been deployed in markets including Norway, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Scania’s Core 800 battery has been used in the Husky E-Motion since 2023. According to Scania, that experience demonstrated the battery’s performance, integration and reliability in demanding winter conditions, supporting the move to a long-term agreement.
Larger machine brings greater energy demands
The partnership now extends to Prinoth’s recently introduced Leitwolf E-Motion, expanding the application of Scania batteries to heavier snow grooming operations.
The Leitwolf uses Core 800 battery packs installed in top and side orientations, with the configuration designed to meet its higher energy and power requirements.
The Core 800 is a lithium-ion battery pack with an installed energy capacity of 97 kWh. Scania says its wider modular battery offering supports systems ranging from 21 kWh to 624 kWh, allowing installations to be configured for different applications.
The technology includes integrated liquid cooling, safety architecture and Scania’s proprietary battery management system, designed to support performance and service life in harsh environments.
Roberto Pegoraro, Head of R&D Snow Groomers at Prinoth, said testing had been central to the decision to continue working with Scania.
“We have chosen to continue our collaboration with Scania because of the high quality of their battery systems,” he said.
Prinoth had tested the systems in some of its most challenging environmental conditions, with Scania contributing technical expertise and supporting ongoing product improvements.
A broader role for heavy-duty batteries
Scania’s industrial battery systems already serve applications including mining, construction, agriculture and logistics vehicles, alongside airport ground support equipment and energy storage.
The Prinoth agreement adds another specialist application to that portfolio, demonstrating how electrification is extending beyond road transport.
For fleet managers assessing electric equipment, the relevant lesson is the importance of matching battery configuration to the machine’s operating conditions and power requirements.
