It's not like loading at the gate.
I really can't believe that it's me.
I am Iwona Blecharczyk, I am Polish,
and I've been working as a truck driver for 11 years.
That's a proper trip for a proper truck and a proper trucker.
Yeah, let's go there.
I'm looking forward to meeting nice people
and seeing the nature, seeing the nice landscapes,
and, of course, in this situation, trucks.
-Hi, Mathias. -Hello, Iwona.
Today we're going to drive a Volvo FMX Electric.
It seems that I'm going to have some fun with an electric truck,
which is pretty amazing because I would never think
that an electric truck would work in a place like this.
-So that's your truck. -Yeah, this is the truck.
The first thing that attracted my attention is the fuel tank.
It's not a fuel tank. It's four batteries, two here, two on the other side.
-And it's very silent, isn't it? -Yeah, not a sound.
How many times a day do you charge it?
Often once a day.
It depends on the load, how heavy it is.
Driving on country roads, it's much better than the highway.
Really? Does it depend on your foot, how heavy it is?
-Yeah, but then I have more breaks. -I love it.
So...
Could you show me, please, how to start this truck?
You turn on the key. It's on.
-It's on? -It's on.
Is it?
It's so odd to me, you know?
Yeah, you don't know if it's on or off.
It's like everything is new to me.
It's like doing the same job but a different way.
Now we're going to load the truck with stones, to the customer.
What kind of stones are we loading?
They're really big stones, for a wall.
We are loading these rocks or the other ones?
That huge one?
Whoa.
It's not like loading at the gate, at the dock.
-Is it over? -It's over.
OK, now we're loaded. Shall we go to the customer?
-Let's go. -Yes.
This machine doesn't feel as if it's empty or loaded.
It's around 500 horsepower, if you compare...
Driving up those hills, loaded, is effortless for this truck.
That's how I feel it.
We weigh 29 tons.
Do you notice that people don't see you, don't hear you?
Yeah, often they don't hear me.
I really drive carefully so they can see that I'm coming.
It's a kind of new feeling and I'm trying to figure out why.
It's not only about the sound, that's for sure.
I think it's about the lack of vibration.
It is so relaxing.
I am surprised by the feeling I have after a day of driving this truck.
I feel that I've entered some new way, you know, of doing this job.
I can definitely feel there is like a new branch of transport.
This is like the beginning, and I'm so happy to have a chance to experience it.
-Thank you so much. -Thank you.
When I think about it right now, while driving this diesel truck,
it's funny because I know so many drivers say that electric trucks are not trucks,
but I think it's all about adjusting
and the proper truck for the proper work.
I've stopped for a short break,
and I am meeting Boije, a famous truck driver,
and I hope he will tell me a little bit about trucking in Sweden and Norway.
-Hi, Boije. -Hello. Welcome to Mantorp.
Here we have a real truck stop.
Today we shall eat raggmunk. It's really Swedish.
-So you are very welcome. -Thank you.
-Whatever it is, I'm in. I'm starving. -Good.
Try lingondricka. This is good.
What's that? It's like...
What do you think?
-It's like for children, not for truckers. -No.
But it's nice.
What are you driving normally in Poland?
I've got a Volvo FH13 460 horsepower Turbo Compound.
-Turbo Compound? It's a powerful one. -It's very nice.
And the total weight is...?
-40 tons. -40 tons.
But here in Scandinavia, you've got heavier trucks, right?
-Normally we have 64 tons. -That's a lot.
And also, with special transport
on what we call "good ways", up to 74 tons.
We also have 25.25 meters long,
but normally they are 24 meters, but 25.25 is coming more and more.
I heard you will go up to the north of Sweden.
Yeah, correct.
In the north of Sweden, we have the most heavy transport there,
for the mining industry, and there it's 90 tons.
That's a lot.
From the north of Norway, the fish is salmon,
and it goes in cooling trailers down to Europe.
Everybody loves salmon. Me too.
-I love it. -Me too.
But this one is also good.
-You like it? -Yes, I love it.
That's a very new combination to me.
-Especially with those... cranberries? -Yeah, cranberries.
That's very nice. It tastes absolutely nice.
We are just about to cross the polar circle,
and this is the furthest north that I have ever been.
The landscape is absolutely fantastic.
"Jokkmokk."
Those towns and villages,
generally the names of the places in the far north
are so funny, sound funny to me.
That must be the one for us.
"Polcirkeln."
Swedish is easy, isn't it?
Whoa! That's cool! My first time on the polar circle.
Yeah. I definitely need a picture.
That's nice.
I've got so many pictures on my phone already.
My map of pictures is very full, and always with the trucks.
Now I think it's time to keep on going. Which direction?
My watch, with a little compass,
says we need to go north, which is that direction.
Let's go.