This could well be the way forward Id say. In current trucks we burn fuel and bleed heat into the atmosphere to get up hills. Then use friction brakes and retarders which bleed heat into the atmosphere to get down hills. You get the picture. With a battery set up the energy used to get up hills and accelerate to speed can be (partially) recouped on hill descents and braking. Pure electric trucks? Probably not yet, (but Musk is truly innovative so just maybe) but some form of hybrid with an efficient battery system is well on the cards Id guess. Wheels driven by electric motors, no need for gearboxes (Hurrah, no more DAF arsetronic crap) but an engine to charge and top up the battery pack. Mountains in front on the planned route? The engine would cut in early to ensure the batteries are topped up. Long descent ahead? Let the batteries run down, knowing the weight of the truck running downhill will recharge the batteries. The engine could be powered by fossil fuel of course, so the vehicle is not dependent on plug ins.
Never mind the power technology alone, look at what else Musk is doing: tesla.com/en_GB/autopilot?redirect=no
Now, Ill tell anyone wholl listen how I think the lane departure and auto braking systems fitted to our trucks are absolute rubbish. This is another class altogether. I`ve never been in one of these cars, but would really be interested in getting a go in one. . . . Wonder where my local dealer is?
50 years ago I used to ride a bike with a mini generator in the front wheel to power the lights but it only worked when moving, now is there any way something could be done to charge a battery from the turning wheels so no charging needed
its a nice idea but Tesla are very much a flash in the pan type company, as soon as the big boys properly kick off research/development/production of electric vehicles they haven’t a hope in hell of competing.
maga:
its a nice idea but Tesla are very much a flash in the pan type company, as soon as the big boys properly kick off research/development/production of electric vehicles they haven’t a hope in hell of competing.
In the commercial vehicle sector I’d be inclined to agree, but for normal cars I’d say they’re here to stay. They’re not exactly Sinclair C5’s. They’re already cheaper than their competitors electronic and hybrid concepts and availabile vehicles. By the time the likes of BMW and Merc etc catch up, their base level electric cars will be in the same ball park as a model s
maga:
its a nice idea but Tesla are very much a flash in the pan type company, as soon as the big boys properly kick off research/development/production of electric vehicles they haven’t a hope in hell of competing.
Electric cars ? Pahh ! It`s like these computer things. Big businesses need computers sure, but who wants a glorified adding machine in their front room?
Tesla have got some world class work behind them. The current cars may not be the final answer, impressive though they are, but the R & D done to get them to this stage is not (IMHO) a “flash in the pan”. They are already in some sort of deal with Daimler and Toyota. OK a mere 150,000 cars on the road so far isnt a lot, but a Id say they are far from a here today, gone tomorrow outfit. Wish I had a few quid spare to invest.
30,000 employees.
Equity $US 4,750,000,000. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla,_Inc.
Increasingly better battery technology combined with solar panels/braking regeneration and charging points and no doubt tesla will soon have a viable short range puddle jumper. A long range truck at big weight though is likely to be a long way off yet.
Re Teslas charging points, theyve expanded them hugely of late, at Guiselwind truck stop in Germany theres six points in a row…
Not driven one, but I was at a job the other week where the boss had one. It took off with the speed and sound of an F-16. It was impressive to say the least
OVLOV JAY:
Not driven one, but I was at a job the other week where the boss had one. It took off with the speed and sound of an F-16. It was impressive to say the least
The owner of a factory I was delivering to the other week had one too. I got a bit distracted by his other toys in the warehouse though, including a 1970s Honda 750, and original Kawasaki Mach 1. Had a nice chat and coffee there, should have asked more about the Tesla in retrospect. If I go back Ill ask a bit more.
So far maybe not, but itll come, as others have said. And for trunking / inter-depot itll not be needed. Recharge when tipping loading at either end?
I don’t imagine it would be too difficult for vehicles to exchange their battery packs for a previously charged battery pack if it was designed into the vehicle, for example on an underslung cradle which slots into the front of the vehicle.
So far maybe not, but itll come, as others have said. And for trunking / inter-depot itll not be needed. Recharge when tipping loading at either end?
I don’t imagine it would be too difficult for vehicles to exchange their battery packs for a previously charged battery pack if it was designed into the vehicle, for example on an underslung cradle which slots into the front of the vehicle.
Trouble is, how many drivers will do that. The amount these days that won’t change a light bulb is astounding
So far maybe not, but itll come, as others have said. And for trunking / inter-depot itll not be needed. Recharge when tipping loading at either end?
I don’t imagine it would be too difficult for vehicles to exchange their battery packs for a previously charged battery pack if it was designed into the vehicle, for example on an underslung cradle which slots into the front of the vehicle.
