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I think a much better solution is by electrifying highways, so the trucks don't have to carry too much battery (or can just use a much smaller amount of diesel)

I think a much better solution is by electrifying highways, so the trucks don't have to carry too much battery (or can just use a much smaller amount of diesel) as they move. Usually the main limiting factor for truck range is the sheer weight of the batteries. The more weight you add, the less you can carry due to laws on maximum truck weights. Electrifying roads with overhead cables can be a more economical solution and does not rely on any non-existing technology.

adrianN 4y ago
If you spent the money to electrify roads, you might as well just build rails to lower friction. And perhaps chain multiple trucks together to reduce air resistance as save labor costs.
Animats 4y ago
It's working in Germany.[1] [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3P_S7pL7Yg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3P_S7pL7Yg
jillesvangurp 4y ago
Electrical trucks you can buy and drive right now. No reason to wait. Electrical highways (except for an expensive and impractical test range in Germany) don't exist and won't exist for many years to come. There's nothing economical about installing lots of infrastructure on tens of thousands of kilometers of highways (what about other roads?).
elihu 4y ago
Absolutely. Also, while overhead lines tend to be the cheapest method, there have been some interesting tests in Sweden with rails embedded in slots in the road surface. (Sort of like those toy slot cars that used to be popular about 30-40 years ago or so.) It's more expensive, but the main advantages are that it can be used more easily by a wider range of vehicles (not just trucks or cars with comically tall pantographs), and you don't have to look at overhead cables, which some people find objectionable. There are also some tests projects using induction charging, but that's super expensive and the amount of power you can usefully deliver is a lot lower than if you have a physical electrical connection. (I expect it to only be useful in a few limited cases. Maybe induction chargers installed at bus stops, for instance.) Anyways, I would love if electrified highways were to be a real thing. The amount of diesel that gets wasted every day pushing trucks around is staggering, and it'd be great to be able to buy an electric vehicle with 100 miles of range or so and feel comfortable making long cross-country road trips without ever even having to bother to stop and charge.

adrianN 4y ago

If you spent the money to electrify roads, you might as well just build rails to lower friction. And perhaps chain multiple trucks together to reduce air resistance as save labor costs.

Animats 4y ago

It's working in Germany.[1] [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3P_S7pL7Yg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3P_S7pL7Yg

jillesvangurp 4y ago

Electrical trucks you can buy and drive right now. No reason to wait. Electrical highways (except for an expensive and impractical test range in Germany) don't exist and won't exist for many years to come. There's nothing economical about installing lots of infrastructure on tens of thousands of kilometers of highways (what about other roads?).

elihu 4y ago

Absolutely. Also, while overhead lines tend to be the cheapest method, there have been some interesting tests in Sweden with rails embedded in slots in the road surface. (Sort of like those toy slot cars that used to be popular about 30-40 years ago or so.) It's more expensive, but the main advantages are that it can be used more easily by a wider range of vehicles (not just trucks or cars with comically tall pantographs), and you don't have to look at overhead cables, which some people find objectionable. There are also some tests projects using induction charging, but that's super expensive and the amount of power you can usefully deliver is a lot lower than if you have a physical electrical connection. (I expect it to only be useful in a few limited cases. Maybe induction chargers installed at bus stops, for instance.) Anyways, I would love if electrified highways were to be a real thing. The amount of diesel that gets wasted every day pushing trucks around is staggering, and it'd be great to be able to buy an electric vehicle with 100 miles of range or so and feel comfortable making long cross-country road trips without ever even having to bother to stop and charge.