[aeroscott]

the gross weight is 80,000# , net cargo is something like 42,000 #, the Cat 3406 engine is 3400 # , trans 1000# . if we put a 1000# ac motor ( no trans ) that's 3400 lbs of free battery weight or 2400# with the trans . I'm thinking of 6000 lbs battery weight for 300 kwh ? So we carry about 3000 less lbs of cargo . As a side benefit the regen braking would not need brake service , oil changes . My trucker buddy just called to give me some numbers . He does long hall over size and needs 500 mile /day , being over size he's grossing 70,000# so 10,000 less then gross max .so he could have 13,400 # of batteries . He says that the average long hall does 500 miles/ day and over 200 days per year , that's $42,000 in diesel . It looks like he could make it work . If the batteries didn't cost like $200,000.(600,000 watts @ $.35/ watt)

[JRP3]

Didn't Micheal Kadi and SSI Racing do an electric semi?

[aeroscott]

Originally Posted by JRP3

Didn't Micheal Kadi and SSI Racing do an electric semi?

just checked them out . Wow ! 3200 ft.lbs torque ,has to be detuned to keep from breaking axles . 2X torque of normal truck . The Feds give 40,000 tax credit , that helps. So the bottom line it is way easier, except for cash to build a large truck , that will travel much further (using 1/6 of it's gross weight in batteries) then a small car . Well it should have been obvious , 7mpg for 80,000 lbs . My benz would need to get 140 mpg to get the same mpg /lb.If I got my numbers right ,600 kwh / 500 miles =1200 watt hr. per mile .A 3000 lbs. ev 1/26 of 80,000 would need 46 watts / mile , We would love that . Only problem is how to pay for it .

[procupine14]

Originally Posted by aeroscott

Only problem is how to pay for it .

That seems to always be the only problem to brilliant ideas. I think that the concept is able to be done but it definitely would be very interesting. I think that a truck like that (if capable) would really begin to pay for itseld if the cost were kept down. The other question I would have is: What kind of beastly charging system/electrical outlet would you need to charge this thing in a reasonable 8-10 hours while you sleep? It just seems to me like it would take a lot of energy from the grid to get this thing charged in a sane amount of time.

[aeroscott]

100 kw /hr. for a 6 hour charge . or run inductive coils under the freeways and carry less batteries.

[JRP3]

Originally Posted by aeroscott

or run inductive coils under the freeways and carry less batteries.

Sounds as if a railway would be easier, and heavy rail is much more efficient than trucks.

[TX_Dj]

Originally Posted by JRP3

Sounds as if a railway would be easier, and heavy rail is much more efficient than trucks.

For long haul to most places, train is the better option economically and ecologically.

However, I don't know about you, but I for one don't want a rail line directly behind my house to deliver freight shipments to my address.

Trucks are still needed, no matter what... and that's what I would hope an electric tractor trailer (or smaller) would be used for.

[dogshed]

There are a number of trucks that just haul trailers between two terminals.
If you run an overhead line between the two terminals you wouldn't need batteries. You just have to get permission and come up with a way to charge other companies for using your cables.

[TX_Dj]

Originally Posted by dogshed

There are a number of trucks that just haul trailers between two terminals.
If you run an overhead line between the two terminals you wouldn't need batteries. You just have to get permission and come up with a way to charge other companies for using your cables.

That works well for municipal mass transit (ala the electric trolley buses in Seattle) but not very well for other applications. Imagine the red tape necessary to string cables at a reasonable height above the street and the liabilities if some dummy comes along and completes the circuit with something conductive standing off the top of their vehicle (like a CB antenna)...

[JRP3]

Originally Posted by TX_Dj

For long haul to most places, train is the better option economically and ecologically.

However, I don't know about you, but I for one don't want a rail line directly behind my house to deliver freight shipments to my address.

Trucks are still needed, no matter what... and that's what I would hope an electric tractor trailer (or smaller) would be used for.

I agree, that's why I was specifically responding to the idea of induction under freeways, and long haul trucking in general. We need to rebuild our heavy rail system, not try to build 400+ mile long range EV trucks.