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aintbroke_dontfixit t1_ixyz0kd wrote

Reply to comment by PlayfulParamedic2626 in Renault's heavy electric trucks are now available to order by Sorin61

We have some 44 tonne lorries that run on LNG on trial. They have a range of 400km and are pretty much unusable for the majority of our work.

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PlayfulParamedic2626 t1_ixyziu4 wrote

Then you’re a bad candidate to run electric semi’s?

Drivers need breaks for food and water. If we can’t charge the trucks faster than the human driver we will be able to soon. Do you want the trucks now, or when Iran invades and diesel doubles in price?

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aintbroke_dontfixit t1_ixz0al2 wrote

> Then you’re a bad candidate to run electric semi’s?

With 28 years experience of driving lorries I can say with confidence most companies in the UK are in the same position.

> Drivers need breaks for food and water.

45 minutes after no more than 4.5hrs driving. I typically drive about 300-350km in that amount of time so I could potentially be looking at having to recharge before I'd need to take a break, especially in winter or when it's a windy day as certainly with the trucks I drive now when you're towing a 450sq.ft parachute in windy weather you can see your fuel consumption increase quite significantly, as much as 25% on nights like the other night when it was 30MPH with gusts up to 60MPH..

> Do you want the trucks now

Not as they are. Too short a range, too long recharge time and too big a weight penalty. We'd have to increase the size of our fleet 20% to carry the same tonnage we do at a time when there's a shortage of truck drivers throughout much of the world, especially UK, EU and North America.

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PlayfulParamedic2626 t1_ixz0np7 wrote

Tesla has orders they can’t fill. Someone found a use case for electric trucks. They might not meet your needs today.

Computers get better every year. These are the first generation of e-trucks. They’re meet your requirements before you know it.

If they don’t work for you don’t buy them?

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aintbroke_dontfixit t1_ixz11sk wrote

Unless there's a massive leap in battery technology, especially power density, it ain't happening any time soon.

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PlayfulParamedic2626 t1_ixz286w wrote

It will be faster, easier, cheaper soon enough. I guarantee it.

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Lebannendl t1_ixzm908 wrote

Very fast charging of batteries diminishes battery capacity ( basic chemistry).

Charging times will remain too long (> 10 minutes) for at least a couple of decades.

Recycling of those batteries is still challenging.

If those battery packs catch fire they are very difficult to extinguish

The mining of the chemical components is very polluting indeed

So electric vehicles are ok if you do not do long distances (commuting).

Instead of recharging there should be international legislation that the battery packs should be standardised and can be changed quickly. In that case electrical vehicles (cars and trucks) can be a viable solution. As long as that is not the case there is not much gain in them imho

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decwakeboarder t1_ixz5c7r wrote

> has orders they can't fill

"Demand infinitely outpaces production!"

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nyaaaa t1_iy1y186 wrote

These aren't for long distance, these are for grocers type shorter distances.

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aintbroke_dontfixit t1_iy22wcx wrote

A 6x2 tractor unit is rated for 44 tonnes GVW as in 97,000lb and not used for grocers type shorter distances.

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