Will electric Big Rigs ever become a thing?

like i said it would be less power than a fart car:D
Power wasn't the problem. They were terribly inefficient & expensive to maintain.
 
wonders what the cost would be to maintain a big rig charging times ect ect:stare1:
I don't know. I think the gas turbines in GM's experimental trucks were mechanically powering the trucks. That's probably where the majority of the inefficiencies were. Turbine engines are not good for applications with rapid & frequent power/rpm changes like with a normal transmission & they also run at extremely high RPM ranges. They're more for aircraft or applications like spinning a generator.
 
I don't know. I think the gas turbines in GM's experimental trucks were mechanically powering the trucks. That's probably where the majority of the inefficiencies were. Turbine engines are not good for applications with rapid & frequent power/rpm changes like with a normal transmission & they also run at extremely high RPM ranges. They're more for aircraft or applications like spinning a generator.
i agree. though i wonder what the battery life would be of this eletric big rig and charging times would be also even more so what the high speed charger!!! one of the biggest misconceptions is that hybrids and EV'S require no maitance or next to none not true though
 
I don't know. I think the gas turbines in GM's experimental trucks were mechanically powering the trucks. That's probably where the majority of the inefficiencies were. Turbine engines are not good for applications with rapid & frequent power/rpm changes like with a normal transmission & they also run at extremely high RPM ranges. They're more for aircraft or applications like spinning a generator.
Yep. Turbines like to run wide open, their efficiency falls off dramatically when their rpm starts to drop.
 
i agree. though i wonder what the battery life would be of this eletric big rig and charging times would be also even more so what the high speed charger!!! one of the biggest misconceptions is that hybrids and EV'S require no maitance or next to none not true though
It think it says 20 miles on their website faq.
 
The way to make a turbine setup most efficient is to size the turbine to run at the bottom of its sweet spot for cruise power needs, and use the batteries for surge demands above the max turbine output.
 
Gas turbines aka "jet engines" require a lot of maintenance... I can't see them getting the same service intervals a diesel has. Battery clusters will require replacing... a lot of drawbacks to a pricey truck.
 
i'm sure it will be pricey and to me the cost just won't be justifiable
There's a lot of things that aren't addressed with this thing...

Turbines are not quiet, this will still have to meet noise regs.
What are the regulators going to say about 800V wired throughout the chassis, not to mention the hazards of a high-voltage battery?
Electric motors aren't cheap, especially ones that have to live down in the road spray. And those motors are going to have to cooled with a dedicated blower system.
I looked up some BSFC numbers, the best turbines in the 2000 shp range are in the .470 lbs/hphr range, in their sweet spot, trucks are under .300 lbs/hphr. 500 shp turbines generally are around .600 lbs/hphr, so you're looking at double the fuel vs. a diesel, for equivalent power, and that gets worse at lower power settings.

I think the guy who designed this has his stuff together on the ideas for the back half of the powertrain, but a turbine prime mover is not going to be the answer.
 
Ok so .3 lbs per hp per hour.

I'm assuming that's per output hp, so a 500 hp diesel actually producing 500 hp...

A 500 hp diesel would burn 150 lbs of fuel running balls to the wall for one hour.

7.5 lbs per gallon so 20 gph at full load?

I have no idea how fast, with proper gearing, running in the sweet spot, 500 hp would move a truck but just for the hell of it let's go with 100 mph. That's 5 mpg.

Eh,.. Not sure about that 0.3 lbs /hphr @Hammer166
 
Ok so .3 lbs per hp per hour.

I'm assuming that's per output hp, so a 500 hp diesel actually producing 500 hp...

A 500 hp diesel would burn 150 lbs of fuel running balls to the wall for one hour.

7.5 lbs per gallon so 20 gph at full load?

I have no idea how fast, with proper gearing, running in the sweet spot, 500 hp would move a truck but just for the hell of it let's go with 100 mph. That's 5 mpg.

Eh,.. Not sure about that 0.3 lbs /hphr @Hammer166

That's in the sweet spot, @Duck. Rated power is not the sweet spot.
 
That's in the sweet spot, @Duck. Rated power is not the sweet spot.
OK ANY diesel producing 500 hp in its sweet spot regardless of rating... 5 mpg at 100 mph or whatever insane speed 500hp would eventually accelerate a truck to?
 
What a bunch of BS! Buried at the bottom of the FAQ it says the turbine is only 400kW. That's only 500HP. This thing isn't making 2000HP for very long.
 
What a bunch of BS! Buried at the bottom of the FAQ it says the turbine is only 400kW. That's only 500HP. This thing isn't making 2000HP for very long.
Betcha there's an asterisk (*) in there somewhere...

* Starting HP available for 30 seconds.

Or some such crap. :poo2:
 
When the cost comes down on these, as it always does on things like this, it will become a competitive condender in the Class 8 market. Right now, even with their numbers, there is no net savings. It sits about even.
 
When the cost comes down on these, as it always does on things like this, it will become a competitive condender in the Class 8 market. Right now, even with their numbers, there is no net savings. It sits about even.
Go price jet engines... another name for gas turbines. Not your $30,000 OTR diesel. I'd be really surprised if the price came down. Even a small turboprop power plant... jet with gear reduction - is hideously expensive.
 

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