Electric Truck Tow Vehicle

[HangDiver]

Gas vs Diesel? Maybe sooner rather than later we'll be adding "Electric" to the discussion. This is a concept truck, but the idea is tantalizing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-OIG5JQicQ

[rsdata]

Their claims and specs remind me of the mid-80's into the 90's where software companies would announce a nice new piece of software that would be available at some later date. They would give you specs and glowing reports of how it worked, yet the delivery date was months if not a year or more down the road. When the software actually was delivered it did only some of what was advertised, cost more than estimated and it was delayed even months longer then the promised available date. We used to call it VAPORWARE... announced yet not deliverable. Announcement was purely to protect some amount of market share.

Personally I would want to see something a little more concrete before getting excited.

[joeuncool]

This is looking more and more like the future. Not near future but the future. There is a reason why trains are electric based. Those freight trains use diesel engines to generate electricity that run motors that actually turn the wheel. There is massive torque in electric motors.

The problem is recharging the batteries. This company claims a full recharge in 15 minutes, which is great, but in reading their details they have attained this only in smaller batteries and assume that it will scale up. Also, after doing some reading, it is the "fast" chargers that are shortening the life of the lithium ion batteries in your smart devices. Even Tesla has said that regularly using fast chargers shortens the lifespan of their batteries.

Maybe if you only use the fast chargers while out on the road it won't be so bad. It is looking like electric is definitely in the future, especially once battery and charging technology improves.

[moose074]

18 wheelers are electric now

[HangDiver]

Its just a matter of time before battery technology becomes feasable for this application, and hopefully sooner than we might otherwise guess. Just think - no more 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton; gas vs diesel; and no more oil threads...

Still need tires though... lol

[jackhartjr]

I haven't heard of an 18 wheeler that is a viable electric vehicle!

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by jackhartjr

I haven't heard of an 18 wheeler that is a viable electric vehicle!

While not in production yet, Tesla has several prototypes actually running around currently. Just Google electric semi.

I would love an electric truck to haul my RV, but don't think they will be affordable for folks like myself in my lifetime.....

[jd50i]

https://www.tesla.com/semi

[D W]

Originally Posted by HangDiver

Its just a matter of time before battery technology becomes feasable for this application, and hopefully sooner than we might otherwise guess. Just think - no more 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton; gas vs diesel; and no more oil threads...

Still need tires though... lol

Not any time soon. Take a look at the third sentence of Post# 3. 80 years ago we had submarines that were electric powered, but it still took a massive internal combustion engine running on bunker fuel to charge up the batteries. There is no well to draw electricity from. It has to be generated. The current power grids in the U.S. are antiquated and we haven't built any new transmission lines in the past 40 years. You will continue to see your Volts, Prius', Leafs and Teslas out on the road, but the wholesale conversion from fossil fuels to electric powered vehicles is a long way down the road.

[Silver Arrow]

Class 8 trucks are currently in the testing stage and are being mostly used for delivery applications and around certain ports where air pollution is a problem. Electric trucks are still in their infancy & as soon as their range is increased they will become more common.

[FleckDreher]

At least if you are able drive it and your tow 300 miles you will have your TT available to sleep in for a couple of days while it re-charges at the currently non-existent charging facility.

A 15 minute fast re-charge is fantasy.

It takes a finite amount of energy (KWHrs) to haul a load down the road, and a finite amount of time to put the energy used back into the storage device (battery), regardless of the technology used.

This vehicle with these proposed specs will be available about the same time as the battery powered 747 aircraft.

How are they doing on that?

[kfergiez]

Originally Posted by FleckDreher

At least if you are able drive it and your tow 300 miles you will have your TT available to sleep in for a couple of days while it re-charges at the currently non-existent charging facility.

A 15 minute fast re-charge is fantasy.

It takes a finite amount of energy (KWHrs) to haul a load down the road, and a finite amount of time to put the energy used back into the storage device (battery), regardless of the technology used.

This vehicle with these proposed specs will be available about the same time as the battery powered 747 aircraft.

How are they doing on that?

Well... I'll agree with you on most points, but I don't share ALL of your cynicism.

I drive a Leaf, and you'd be shocked at how many charger are available these days. I don't use them since I charge at home, and it's my commuter car. BUT it seems like they're popping up everywhere.

Since Shell is installing chargers at their gas stations, it's going to be even more commonplace.

We just need to tackle that the TIME issue.

[kfergiez]

Originally Posted by D W

but the wholesale conversion from fossil fuels to electric powered vehicles is a long way down the road.

I don't think 'wholesale' is going to happen, nor do I think it's even a goal (save for some idealists).

I own a Leaf, and it's one of the best cars I've ever owned. BUT quick turnover from fossil to electric just isn't going to happen. It's going to be adopted slowly but surely just like horse/buggy to the car. And along the way, the infrastructure will catch up just like paved roads and interstates caught up with how we travel today.

[adarklake]

I'll stick with my 2hp horse and covered wagon, thank you. The infrastructure just isn't there to support these new-fangled horseless carriages. They'll never take off.

[D W]

Originally Posted by kfergiez

Well... I'll agree with you on most points, but I don't share ALL of your cynicism.

I drive a Leaf, and you'd be shocked at how many charger are available these days. I don't use them since I charge at home, and it's my commuter car. BUT it seems like they're popping up everywhere.

Since Shell is installing chargers at their gas stations, it's going to be even more commonplace.

We just need to tackle that the TIME issue.

And knowing SHELL, they probably will charge a premium per KwHr of charge time.

[kfergiez]

Originally Posted by D W

And knowing SHELL, they probably will charge a premium per KwHr of charge time.

Oh of course they will, it's not going to be free. I can charge my car for $4 a MONTH for that much commuting and running around town. If I'm on a road trip, I'm happy to pay $15 for a full charge.

[IsleDog]

Originally Posted by adarklake

I'll stick with my 2hp horse and covered wagon, thank you. The infrastructure just isn't there to support these new-fangled horseless carriages. They'll never take off.

Fun Fact: Electric cars have been around since the 1830's.

I would like to see a semi or pickup set up like a train. no batteries, just an electric traction motor and a generator.

they could probably get around the charging issue by having smaller banks of batteries that are each charged individually. sort of like how we balance lithium cells now. instead of trying to charge one HUGE pack with one power cable, lets say 4 cables, each charging its own pack within vehicle. if the packs are small enough, you could even have stations set up like you exchange propane tanks. just drive up, pop out a pack or two, pay for your swap, and be on your way. but that requires standardization in packs and cells.

[kfergiez]

Originally Posted by IsleDog

just drive up, pop out a pack or two, pay for your swap, and be on your way. but that requires standardization in packs and cells.

Tesla actually demoed this several years ago. They envisioned a station where you could pulled up, a machine would unbolt the battery pack from under the car, and it would load a charged pack up into the car. Elon actually did a timed session onstage between that system and filling up with a tank of gas.

I don't know what happened to that...

EDIT: Found the video: https://www.tesla.com/videos/battery-swap-event

[IsleDog]

Originally Posted by kfergiez

Tesla actually demoed this several years ago. They envisioned a station where you could pulled up, a machine would unbolt the battery pack from under the car, and it would load a charged pack up into the car. Elon actually did a timed session onstage between that system and filling up with a tank of gas.

I don't know what happened to that...

EDIT: Found the video: https://www.tesla.com/videos/battery-swap-event

Interesting! you learn something new everyday. good luck with that system though in canada or the midwest. we LOVE our road salt

[aceinspp]

Originally Posted by IsleDog

Fun Fact: Electric cars have been around since the 1830's.

I would like to see a semi or pickup set up like a train. no batteries, just an electric traction motor and a generator.

they could probably get around the charging issue by having smaller banks of batteries that are each charged individually. sort of like how we balance lithium cells now. instead of trying to charge one HUGE pack with one power cable, lets say 4 cables, each charging its own pack within vehicle. if the packs are small enough, you could even have stations set up like you exchange propane tanks. just drive up, pop out a pack or two, pay for your swap, and be on your way. but that requires standardization in packs and cells.

Well diesel locos do have batteries. Later RJD