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For some reason, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, even brand new electric trucks in the US look very vintage, with their giant chrome grill and fender flares

For some reason, from a purely aesthetic standpoint, even brand new electric trucks in the US look very vintage, with their giant chrome grill and fender flares, compared to European and Asian trucks. [1] [1] https://www.peterbilt.com/trucks/zero-emission/567EV https://www.peterbilt.com/trucks/zero-emission/567EV

mradek 1y ago
Do you think it’s because they’re using diesel? In my layman pov… A diesel engine can take the least aerodynamically shaped body and move it at 60 mph for 1k miles no problem. As an American, I guess it’s just natural to me that if it can move, then it should move with glory!! Edit: my bad I didn’t properly read your post
- porphyra 1y ago
  The one I linked is all electric.
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
  - mradek 1y ago
    Wowza!! Ok I checked out the link. My bad for not reading ur post properly. Yikes 100-250 mile range. Probably fine for what it is.
    - Qwertious 1y ago
      The range only needs to cover the period between mandated brakes. Everything over that is wasted weight, as the weight of the cargo and the weight of the truck share a weight budget.
      - BrentOzar 1y ago
        > The range only needs to cover the period between mandated brakes. I was confused there for a second until I realized you meant "breaks."
      - jtbayly 1y ago
        That’s technically true, I suppose, but dishonest since you imply that those numbers are large enough to max out driving time. You wouldn’t be able to drive to your first mandatory 30 minute break with that range.
        Xss3 1y ago
        If youre doing 56mph, as you would be in the EU, then you can drive for 4.5hrs and cover 250miles before your first mandated break. So it almost seems optimised for the mandated break timing. On average truck journeys in europe are only 72 miles anyway so...
        macintux 1y ago
        > On average truck journeys in europe are only 72 miles anyway so... That’s astonishing. I’d be curious to see the median and mode distances compared between the U.S. and E.U.
        Symbiote 1y ago
        Many journeys will be from the distribution center to the supermarket or similar, or even multiple supermarkets, which would really bring down the average.
      - IshKebab 1y ago
        Yeah the range between mandated breaks is way over 100 miles. In the UK it is 45 minutes after 4.5 hours driving, so about 270 miles. But you need to account for the likelihood that there isn't a charger at the break stop. On the other hand the Volvo trucks in this article apparently have a similar range and they're selling so I guess it's worth the hassle.
- rsynnott 1y ago
  ~All trucks, except for electric ones, are diesel, and have been for a long time.
- dieortin 1y ago
  I don’t think using a diesel engine would make the fuel efficiency losses from having bad aerodynamics any better
Xenoamorphous 1y ago
US trucks are much cooler looking, although I don’t doubt European ones are more efficient and practical. Even firetrucks, the ones I saw in SF looked so cool compred to the ones I see over here.
stevage 1y ago
Maybe everyone in this thread knows this, but it hasn't been mentioned: US trucks are all cab-behind-engine, and European trucks are all cab-over-engine. That's why they look so different. The US style supposedly has some benefits in maintenance and maybe efficiency, but the European style works much better in cities with narrow streets and tight turns.
- _mitterpach 1y ago
  This might be completely wrong, since my understanding is based very much off of Truck Simulator games, but isn’t one of the reasons aerodynamics as well? The US is huge, and trips can take several days at high speeds, so aerodynamic improvements can save quite a bit of money, whereas EU is smaller, the trucks do not go at large speeds for as long and have to navigate tiny city streets, thus being more compact is an advantage there.
  - Symbiote 1y ago
    It's more that the EU regulations on the total length of the articulated lorry include the tractor, but American regulations limit the length of each part.
    - Gare 1y ago
      True, but that EU regulation is based on the ground truth of much less spacious roads and cities.
      - gmueckl 1y ago
        Not quite. Originally, the tighter length limits were intended to give trucks a disadvantage compared to freight trains. But engine technology caught up and more efficient smaller engines negated that limitation.
      - crote 1y ago
        Not really. A regular truck & trailer is way too big to fit in space-constrained city centers. When it gets really tight they'll just send a box truck, often with a trailer they can leave behind outside the city center for some extra capacity when it's a multi-stop trip [0]. The fancy ones even have doors in the front of the trailer, making it quite easy to move freight from the trailer into the box truck itself. On the other hand, the highway infrastructure has plenty of space for large trucks. If the roads to & from the main highway network can handle it, some countries will give you permits for all sorts of fancy combinations[1] up to 83 ft long. Considering that it'll still be pulled with a regular cab-over truck, that's a lot of space for freight. They are now even trialing the "Super EcoCombi", which is essentially two full semi-trailers[2], for a total of 105 ft! [0]: https://assets-global.website-files.com/6424195493a93d7e7fe40175/6448d30957947a31caa97bdc_IMG_7488.jpg https://assets-global.website-files.com/6424195493a93d7e7fe4... [1]: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langere_en_Zwaardere_Vrachtautocombinatie#/media/Bestand:Alle_Varianten_LZV.jpg https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langere_en_Zwaardere_Vrachtaut... [2]: https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/sec.jpg?ssl=1 https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads...
algo_trader 1y ago
Why are e-trucks like this getting 1/100th of the not-yet-in-mass-production Tesla Semi? Can i go in and order 100 of these? Are they custom/super-expensive?
- rsynnott 1y ago
  Apparently so: https://electrek.co/2024/06/01/einride-orders-150-peterbilt-579ev-electric-semi-trucks-for-us-fleet/ https://electrek.co/2024/06/01/einride-orders-150-peterbilt-...
- 93po 1y ago
  Volvo: 600km range, 82k lb capacity, 60% charge in 40 minutes, $350k Tesla: 800km range, 82k lb capacity, 70% charge in 30 minutes (with a much higher capacity battery), $250k Telsa would also probably have better dealer network, better software (self driving), better charger network Why would anyone buy Volvo?
  - rasz 1y ago
    Because you _can_ but Volvo right now, its a real product.
  - gamblor956 1y ago
    The Tesla battery is almost twice the size of the Volvo VNR Electric battery but only gets slightly more range than the comparably specced Volvo VNR Electric when fully loaded. But the Volvo VNR Electric can be self-serviced. Tesla Semis can't. And given Tesla's abysmal service history, that's a deal breaker. And it's why no company has actually used Tesla Semis beyond the token trial Semi they purchased using government grants.
  - beAbU 1y ago
    Because the volvo truck exists and tesla does not? Also, have you learned nothing when it comes to announced specs of a new tesla vs real world specs when it lands?
    - 1y ago

mradek 1y ago

Do you think it’s because they’re using diesel? In my layman pov… A diesel engine can take the least aerodynamically shaped body and move it at 60 mph for 1k miles no problem. As an American, I guess it’s just natural to me that if it can move, then it should move with glory!! Edit: my bad I didn’t properly read your post

porphyra 1y ago
The one I linked is all electric.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- mradek 1y ago
  Wowza!! Ok I checked out the link. My bad for not reading ur post properly. Yikes 100-250 mile range. Probably fine for what it is.
  - Qwertious 1y ago
    The range only needs to cover the period between mandated brakes. Everything over that is wasted weight, as the weight of the cargo and the weight of the truck share a weight budget.
    - BrentOzar 1y ago
      > The range only needs to cover the period between mandated brakes. I was confused there for a second until I realized you meant "breaks."
    - jtbayly 1y ago
      That’s technically true, I suppose, but dishonest since you imply that those numbers are large enough to max out driving time. You wouldn’t be able to drive to your first mandatory 30 minute break with that range.
      - Xss3 1y ago
        If youre doing 56mph, as you would be in the EU, then you can drive for 4.5hrs and cover 250miles before your first mandated break. So it almost seems optimised for the mandated break timing. On average truck journeys in europe are only 72 miles anyway so...
        macintux 1y ago
        > On average truck journeys in europe are only 72 miles anyway so... That’s astonishing. I’d be curious to see the median and mode distances compared between the U.S. and E.U.
        Symbiote 1y ago
        Many journeys will be from the distribution center to the supermarket or similar, or even multiple supermarkets, which would really bring down the average.
    - IshKebab 1y ago
      Yeah the range between mandated breaks is way over 100 miles. In the UK it is 45 minutes after 4.5 hours driving, so about 270 miles. But you need to account for the likelihood that there isn't a charger at the break stop. On the other hand the Volvo trucks in this article apparently have a similar range and they're selling so I guess it's worth the hassle.
rsynnott 1y ago
~All trucks, except for electric ones, are diesel, and have been for a long time.
dieortin 1y ago
I don’t think using a diesel engine would make the fuel efficiency losses from having bad aerodynamics any better

Xenoamorphous 1y ago

US trucks are much cooler looking, although I don’t doubt European ones are more efficient and practical. Even firetrucks, the ones I saw in SF looked so cool compred to the ones I see over here.

stevage 1y ago

Maybe everyone in this thread knows this, but it hasn't been mentioned: US trucks are all cab-behind-engine, and European trucks are all cab-over-engine. That's why they look so different. The US style supposedly has some benefits in maintenance and maybe efficiency, but the European style works much better in cities with narrow streets and tight turns.

_mitterpach 1y ago
This might be completely wrong, since my understanding is based very much off of Truck Simulator games, but isn’t one of the reasons aerodynamics as well? The US is huge, and trips can take several days at high speeds, so aerodynamic improvements can save quite a bit of money, whereas EU is smaller, the trucks do not go at large speeds for as long and have to navigate tiny city streets, thus being more compact is an advantage there.
- Symbiote 1y ago
  It's more that the EU regulations on the total length of the articulated lorry include the tractor, but American regulations limit the length of each part.
  - Gare 1y ago
    True, but that EU regulation is based on the ground truth of much less spacious roads and cities.
    - gmueckl 1y ago
      Not quite. Originally, the tighter length limits were intended to give trucks a disadvantage compared to freight trains. But engine technology caught up and more efficient smaller engines negated that limitation.
    - crote 1y ago
      Not really. A regular truck & trailer is way too big to fit in space-constrained city centers. When it gets really tight they'll just send a box truck, often with a trailer they can leave behind outside the city center for some extra capacity when it's a multi-stop trip [0]. The fancy ones even have doors in the front of the trailer, making it quite easy to move freight from the trailer into the box truck itself. On the other hand, the highway infrastructure has plenty of space for large trucks. If the roads to & from the main highway network can handle it, some countries will give you permits for all sorts of fancy combinations[1] up to 83 ft long. Considering that it'll still be pulled with a regular cab-over truck, that's a lot of space for freight. They are now even trialing the "Super EcoCombi", which is essentially two full semi-trailers[2], for a total of 105 ft! [0]: https://assets-global.website-files.com/6424195493a93d7e7fe40175/6448d30957947a31caa97bdc_IMG_7488.jpg https://assets-global.website-files.com/6424195493a93d7e7fe4... [1]: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langere_en_Zwaardere_Vrachtautocombinatie#/media/Bestand:Alle_Varianten_LZV.jpg https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langere_en_Zwaardere_Vrachtaut... [2]: https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/sec.jpg?ssl=1 https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads...

algo_trader 1y ago

Why are e-trucks like this getting 1/100th of the not-yet-in-mass-production Tesla Semi? Can i go in and order 100 of these? Are they custom/super-expensive?

rsynnott 1y ago
Apparently so: https://electrek.co/2024/06/01/einride-orders-150-peterbilt-579ev-electric-semi-trucks-for-us-fleet/ https://electrek.co/2024/06/01/einride-orders-150-peterbilt-...
93po 1y ago
Volvo: 600km range, 82k lb capacity, 60% charge in 40 minutes, $350k Tesla: 800km range, 82k lb capacity, 70% charge in 30 minutes (with a much higher capacity battery), $250k Telsa would also probably have better dealer network, better software (self driving), better charger network Why would anyone buy Volvo?
- rasz 1y ago
  Because you _can_ but Volvo right now, its a real product.
- gamblor956 1y ago
  The Tesla battery is almost twice the size of the Volvo VNR Electric battery but only gets slightly more range than the comparably specced Volvo VNR Electric when fully loaded. But the Volvo VNR Electric can be self-serviced. Tesla Semis can't. And given Tesla's abysmal service history, that's a deal breaker. And it's why no company has actually used Tesla Semis beyond the token trial Semi they purchased using government grants.
- beAbU 1y ago
  Because the volvo truck exists and tesla does not? Also, have you learned nothing when it comes to announced specs of a new tesla vs real world specs when it lands?
  - 1y ago