Cummins brought out its electric big rig

[botsapper]

Thetrucking engine company, Cummins unveiled their first zero-emission all-electric powertrain semi concept truck, the Aeos, one of the four Greek winged horses that pulled the chariot of the sun god, Helios. The 18,000 pound Roush-built prototype EV motor runs on a 140kWh battery pack that could haul a maximum of 44,000 lbs of cargo. Unfortunately it only has a modest range of 100 inter-town delivery miles. It does have a 1-hour full charging, regenerative braking system, an in-dash camera system, solar panels to extend daytime range and additional battery packs could extend to it 300 miles.

The age of the battling EV truck industry have begun; manufacturers want to build electric trucks for giant companies; Wal-Mart and FedEx trucking fleets. Tesla has their EV big rig around the corner with an anticipated 200-300 mile range.

5 Cool Things About Our Electric Powertrain Concept Truck

[NeilBlanchard]

Now, if they add an overhead power system, to power it on the highway, then they would have a much bigger solution. Or, use this truck to and from trains.

[gone-ot]

How about adding Induction-coupling INSIDE parking and storage facilities...just cut some cable-ditches and lay in the cables.

[botsapper]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

How about adding Induction-coupling INSIDE parking and storage facilities...just cut some cable-ditches and lay in the cables.

Trucks are required to travel (ei. California Vehicle Code, CVC) sections related to divided highway use on designated right-hand lanes. Already the best lane for EV truckers to stay on these power-induction lane sections, pragmatic for long-range stretches on main trucking highways/interstates. Capital investments for the buried cables paid by nominal tolls on 'Charging-Cruise' lanes.

[RedDevil]

Wouldn't be too hard to make it a hybrid?

[oil pan 4]

Just put a diesel engine in that and get a half mpg improvement just on the aero alone.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

Wouldn't be too hard to make it a hybrid?

I also got quite surprised for it not to be a hybrid, since their core business is still Diesel engines, and one would be still the best option to drive an on-board genset.

[NeilBlanchard]

This is the best way to go:



Passing is possible, with batteries:

[redpoint5]

Perhaps it's good for intra-city deliveries, but a hybrid would be best for longer hauls. Size the battery just large enough to pull the loaded truck up a long and steep pass, and allow it to regen on the back side. Size the diesel engine so that at peak efficiency, it's able to pull the tractor/trailer on flat ground and slowly recharge the battery.

Inductive charging under the highway will never happen. It's way too costly. We will see overhead power lines before we see inductive charging.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Inductive charging under the highway will never happen. It's way too costly. We will see overhead power lines before we see inductive charging.

Inductive charging does seem quite out of question, but I would not hold my breath for a comeback of overhead power lines. Some cities in Brazil had overhead power lines for trolleys and subsequently trolleybuses, but now IIRC it's only still the case in São Paulo and Santos. Metropolitan railways OTOH are usually electrified, including the Trensurb line that goes from Porto Alegre to Novo Hamburgo.