Will electric Big Rigs ever become a thing?

RollinLee

Member
wonderring if companies like tesla will ever branch out to make big rigs or other companies. would be a cool idea. would work with the right gear ratio as well. thoughts?
 
I think CNG and Hydrogen will be the replacement if we move off diesel. Not sure that will ever happen unless like I said it hits way high on oil.
 
i was wondering how would you charge your truck on the road? or is there a generator that charges it while you're driving?
 
The amount of power required to run an 80,000 lb truck at highway speeds for an 11 hour shift would require batteries so big & heavy you'd be better off going the locomotive route with a big diesel generator powering hub motors.

It would be cool having a diesel electric truck anyway. You could divide the power across 8 hub motors (4 on trailer) and never need tire chains.
 
I can see local drivers using them. Regional and OTR would be to hard to guarantee a place to recharge while driver was on break.

I think those may move to something like this if oil ever hits $200 a barrel.
Locomotive Technology to Power Class 8 Heavy Trucks


I could see this being used.

The real problem with it though is the actual WEIGHT of the motors and batteries combined would restrict the equipment.
 
I could see this being used.

The real problem with it though is the actual WEIGHT of the motors and batteries combined would restrict the equipment.
Unless you throw some axles under it. Another 20k rated axle group would more than cover additional weight. Add an axle on the trailer and you have the ATA's wet dream. A truck that could pull doubles loaded to 117,000 gross
 
If it would give them enough torque to pull an extra trailer? Every shipper that is open on a day ending in Y.

The only way it would benefit the industry to offset cost is to make it train like. That is where the Intermodal stuff HUB, Swift, JB Hunt, Schnieder etc are kicking the heck out of traditional OTR stuff. Hell CR England now has 3 day refrigerated service from Washington to Florida on a box.

If they could effectively triple a trucks capacity it would help them compete.
 
I was basing that off when I worked at HUB. We were looking into reefer boxes and that is what they quoted us.
 
it'll get worse before it gets better.

Where trains kill trucks is in the " revenue Ton mile"
 
I tried to explain that when the new fuel standards were calculated in gals per ton/mile. A truck just can not compete on that basis.
 

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