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Sweden is doing a lot of good functional experiments and practical research leaning on much of existing tech. Like this experiment with electrified roads to hel
by sologoub 3y ago
Sweden is doing a lot of good functional experiments and practical research leaning on much of existing tech. Like this experiment with electrified roads to help address EV truck range limits: https://www.carscoops.com/2023/05/sweden-will-open-the-worlds-first-permanently-electrified-road-though-they-havent-decided-which-tech-itll-use/amp/ https://www.carscoops.com/2023/05/sweden-will-open-the-world...
The E16 experiment looked really promising and would rely on all existing tech (contactors on power lines, like the old trolley buses of old) and hybrid power plant for last mile: https://www.iea.org/policies/7162-electric-highway-demonstration-project-e16 https://www.iea.org/policies/7162-electric-highway-demonstra...
Can’t find any reported results of this, but seems small in scale (100km). The concept solves the range problem. Imagine for example in California to have these along the 5? Now you can move things from Los Angeles to Seattle without needing to recharge. Add to it some driver assists and you have a much safer and more efficient transportation system which is as clean as the electric grid. Then you can provide financial incentives to travel in off peak demand times, etc.
- seanmcdirmid 3y agoThere are still active trolley bus routes that use overhead lines (Seattle, San Francisco, Lausanne, even Beijing has a trolly bus route). But we can’t even electrify our rail routes. I doubt we would electrify I5. Although, trucks aren’t trains where diesel turbine electricity generation makes sense.
- sologoub 3y agoI5 passes relatively close to a lot of generation and the land around it in the south is pretty decent for more solar. Haven’t traveled into WA, but I suspect other sources would be better there. In US, I suspect rail crosses large swaths that might be harder to electrify, but the sub 1% electrification is really disappointing compared to say EU: https://alternative-fuels-observatory.ec.europa.eu/transport-mode/rail https://alternative-fuels-observatory.ec.europa.eu/transport...
- seanmcdirmid 3y agoI5 in WA from the BC border is busy. It is primarily urban until you get past Olympia and then it becomes more sane, but it isn’t really used by many trucks compared to the volume of cars on it.
- defrost 3y ago> Although, trucks aren’t trains where diesel turbine electricity generation makes sense. Contrary-wise in real world examples FedEX in the US first trialed onboard diesel turbine generated electric trucks back in 2014 and they've been a staple of the Australian (and other) mining industry for a good number of years now; that's on the order of a billion tonne per annum for a decade moved via means you imply only makes sense for trains. You'll even find instances of hybrid onboard diesal off board trolly pantograph for gradient assist climbing in heavy haul trucks [1] from 2007 - although I admit that was an unexpected quirky find. [1] https://www.australianmining.com.au/diesel-electric-haul-trucks-save-fuel/ https://www.australianmining.com.au/diesel-electric-haul-tru...
- seanmcdirmid 3y agoMy previous understanding was that gas turbine trucks have been tried out, but not electric ones. But thanks for the correction.
- defrost 3y agoNo drama, as a rule you generally don't see 100+ tonne Haulpaks on the open road ... that aside they do operate 24/7/365 across the globe on minesites moving truly large tonnages - out of site of most people.