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This week, diesel truck engine company Cummins made an unusual announcement. In addition to several new high-efficiency diesel engines, it also showed off an all-electric truck called the Concept Class 7 Urban Hauler EV. The truck is just a concept at the moment, but it's coming in the nick of time—just as Tesla is about to announce its own semi EV.
The 18,000-pound tractor cab, built by Roush, comes with a 140kWh battery and is capable of hauling a 22-ton trailer. According to Forbes, Cummins hopes to be able to sell its battery to truck and bus manufacturers by 2019. Forbes says the truck can run for 100 miles and be recharged in an hour, although Cummins is allegedly working on improving the battery so that by 2020, that recharge time is reduced to 20 minutes.
In a press release, Cummins also said that its EV would come with a diesel-engine generator that could extend the range of the battery to 300 miles, which would offer 50-percent fuel savings compared to straight diesel trucks.
Cummins' news comes just after Reuters reported that Tesla's electric semis will likely have a range of 200 to 300 miles and come with autonomous functions. The trucking industry is a major polluter, and electrification is seen as an important component in reducing greenhouse gases from that sector, in addition to implementing fuel efficiency measures.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Saturday September 02 2017, @03:44AM (2 children)
In Arizona they might barely make sense, with an ROI somewhere in the 5 year range.
Solar panels just can't collect that much power in a vehicle format, the vehicle doesn't intersect enough solar radiation to make it attractive - this scales all the way from dragonfly drones up to semi trucks. Now, the ISS - that's a little different, no energy required to stay in orbit, big panels, no aero-drag...
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Sunday September 03 2017, @04:21AM (1 child)
Not as main power for trucks, but we're slowly getting there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Solar_Challenge [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Sunday September 03 2017, @04:47AM
Key word: "Slowly." This has been the watchword of solar powered vehicles since the 1970s. Yes, progress, no - can't change the ratio between aero-drag of a reasonably shaped vehicle and the amount of solar radiation it receives.
🌻🌻 [google.com]