China has been using battery-electric snow-removal vehicles for years and is procuring larger fleets. Beijing’s Mentougou district awarded contracts for 24 multifunction snow-removal trucks in September 2026, worth RMB19.92 million, as part of its electric sanitation fleet renewal. The procurement covers plowing, brushing and spreading equipment. The published awards leave the final chassis configurations to be confirmed, but they demonstrate a municipal purchasing program rather than another experimental announcement.
The Chinese procurement follows earlier operating experience. In 2022, Beijing Enterprises Urban Resources reported using small multifunction electric snow-removal vehicles in Shenyang’s Huanggu district. They worked alongside manual crews in narrow streets and alleys where large vehicles were less suitable. China also has registered battery-electric snow-removal trucks in the 18- and 25-ton classes, demonstrating that manufacturers have developed full-sized specialized equipment.
Norway supplies the demanding winter operating experience. Its 2025 Scania 45 R battery-electric trial on Hardangervidda covered about 7,000 km of mountain-road maintenance, with average energy consumption of approximately 2.02 kWh/km. The truck plowed snow, graded roads and spread sand through a Norwegian winter. Its operating experience has helped move Norwegian highway authorities toward electric equipment in ordinary road-maintenance contracts.
Sweden has now introduced an interesting alternative. In October 2026, Scania, MaserFrakt and Peab unveiled a snowplow for winter road maintenance in Borlänge. It is effectively a large battery-electric truck, carrying a 356 kWh rechargeable battery, with 56 kg of hydrogen feeding a fuel cell that extends its operating range. The Swedish trial will test whether carrying the additional hydrogen equipment delivers more useful winter service than batteries alone.
That is a worthwhile experiment. Extended snowstorms, remote roads and long operating shifts make winter maintenance a demanding application. But China already has electric snow-removal products and procurement, while Norway has measured battery-electric highway performance. Hydrogen has to demonstrate an operational and economic advantage over equipment that is already working.
Subscribe free to continue with the Chinese orders, Norwegian operating results and the test Sweden’s hydrogen range extender must pass. No paid subscription is required.