Posted on 02/25/2020 6:38:59 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT
Over two decades and 2 million miles, Karl Williams has driven practically every diesel-powered truck brand on the road. Now behind the wheel of an electric-powered rig, he relishes keeping his place in stop-and-go traffic and misses neither the engine clatter nor the smell of diesel fuel
Unless compelled, he won't be going back to diesel trucking.
In about four months, NFI's fleet of nine electric day cabs has racked up about 50,000 miles.
"I would have the space of two diesel trucks in front of me. By the time I get going, five cars jump in front of me," he said. "With this truck, I can stay right with the cars rather than being dropped back every time we stop and go."
Even with the truck restricted to 60 mph, Williams said he can shave 15 minutes off the drive from the ports to Chino in heavy traffic.
"The [lack of] noise is better for a person's hearing," he said. "At the end of the day, my nerves aren't rattled."
"You know your limitations," Williams said. "I've been driving these for almost three months and I have never been stuck anywhere. I've actually had this at the port for eight hours, down there all day, and drove back. So I did basically an eight-hour day with one charge."
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
“When we go into the port in the summertime, it’s all metal cans [shipping containers], asphalt and concrete,” he said. “The temperature rises so much more because you’re sitting there between all those hot cans. So you’ve basically got to have a diesel motor running all the time.”
The eCascadia emits no tailpipe emissions because it doesn’t have a tailpipe.
Libs do not have a clue about systems..................
I've driven a diesel automobile to the top of Mount Evans,about an hour west of Denver.It's 14,200 feet above sea level yet my car didn't even break a sweat. I've driven my current diesel 810 highway miles...twice...on a full tank.
And I've taken a BMW i3 (electric) on an overnight test drive.I wasn't even slightly impressed.
No electric vehicles for me thank you!
Electric deliver torque like nobodies business.... Which is why Locomotives and many larger commercial vehicles have been using diesel electric hybrids for decades.
Nothing wrong with the pure electric for these, other than range and charging time.
Possible option for short-haul trucking, but not for a long run on the Interstates.
As his truck recharges after the first run, he climbs into another eCascadia and repeats the roundtrip of just over 100 miles.
I’ve actually had this at the port for eight hours, down there all day, and drove back. So I did basically an eight-hour day with one charge.”
so each driver needs two trucks, one to drive, one to charge?
Or he makes one 100 mile trip per day on one charge? Good work if you can get it.
What is it about most designers deliberately gaying up electric vehicles.
There’s a lot more benefits from electric vehicles than smug environmentalism.
The Diesel / electric combo is intriguing to me. Trains have used it for years, so why not trucks?
The biggest advantage of electric: immediate maximum torque when you start from dead stop. That’s why diesel-electric locomotives have mostly AC traction motors, since they can start from dead stop and run at very low speeds for long periods without overheating the traction motor.
The companies are working in partnership with the South Coast Air Quality Management District in Southern California to improve air quality in the region. The agency is providing a $16 million grant to partially fund the program.
https://www.trucks.com/2019/08/21/daimler-puts-first-ecascadia-electric-trucks-in-service/
Also hydraulic hybrids, which can storea snd re-use 80% of decelerating and braking energy vs 55% for electrics. Different technologies for different purposes...these are good solutions for most every short hsul LTL, package or product delivery, mail, or bus vehicle that does a lot of stop-and-go driving and returns to a fixed location every night. Think about the number of beer trucks and UPS package cars you see.
Actually what I’m hoping for is a 6 or 8 cylinder Diesel hybrid pickup to come out.
I’ve had a Prius for 8 years now and it’s been amazing. I’ll be hitting 200k miles on it very soon. Even now I get 45mpn in the winter and 50 in the summer (I can tell you the week the blend changes).
Would love to have the diesel for long steady state on the interstate and accessories with the electric for in traffic/stop and go town stuff.
The bottom line here is does it pencil out on your return on investment. You make a great point about once the grant is gone. This tech has to be affordable and competitive with the current market need.
It’s easy to claim that your saving X amount of money if you venture got a grant to offset your buy-in cost.
my 2007 Honda Civic get almost 40mpg with 220k miles so I’m happy with it now. Toyota had the hybrid thing figured out ages ago with the Prius and it is still the best hybrid available as I see it.
My thoughts as well. In fact so much so that I bought both of my daughters one for their college graduation gifts....well ok they asked for one I didn’t just pick it myself.
Electric vehicles are great in urban environments.
The problem with long haul electric trucks is, frankly, something that is a critical issue in trucking - weight. Trucks want to use as little of their maximum weight for “non-load” items as possible. This includes the engine, driver and truck body, frame, trailer and fuel source. In an electric, the batteries take up a lot more of that weight (and physical size) than diesel. Until battery tech can give us a significantly smaller and lighter battery with the same range of modern batteries, this will never get out of the urban environment.
And then there is the source of the electricity in batteries. If our culture starts going all in on electric transportation it means one thing - lots of nuclear power plants - because the current grid can’t handle it, and I don’t care how many millions of acres you dedicate to solar and bird choppers.
I live in Kentucky. I think all the Teslas here should have bumper stickers that say “Powered by coal”.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.