First Encounter With An Electric Semi.

It was delivering to the distribution center I pull out of. Ran by Koch Foods. Their warehouse is right down the street from ours. A spotter talked to the driver and was told it has a range of about 155 miles. Didn’t ask how long it takes to charge. I’ve also seen the container company Maersk running these.

Thoughts? Would you drive one?

It looks pretty nice. That's about the only response I can come up with lol.

I would certainly take it for a spin. Why not?

A range of 155 miles? That's pretty bad. I wonder what conditions those are under in terms of weight and terrain.

I think it's safe to say the hype for electric vehicles and self-driving vehicles was exactly that - hype. Economically none of it is feasible without massive government subsidies, and almost none of the claims they make have panned out.

That being said, I have a garage full of battery-powered everything, including my lawn mower and a small chainsaw, both of which work great for the relatively minor tasks they're intended for. I do not have an electric vehicle, though I am on the list for a Tesla truck. I don't think I'll get the truck anytime soon, though. Just too many problems and expenses getting maintenance done.

I would certainly take it for a spin. Why not?

A range of 155 miles? That's pretty bad. I wonder what conditions those are under in terms of weight and terrain.

I think it's safe to say the hype for electric vehicles and self-driving vehicles was exactly that - hype. Economically none of it is feasible without massive government subsidies, and almost none of the claims they make have panned out.

That being said, I have a garage full of battery-powered everything, including my lawn mower and a small chainsaw, both of which work great for the relatively minor tasks they're intended for. I do not have an electric vehicle, though I am on the list for a Tesla truck. I don't think I'll get the truck anytime soon, though. Just too many problems and expenses getting maintenance done.

The only electric truck I've seen that I'd be even remotely interested in is from Alpha motors and their truck, The Wolf+ or Super Wolf. The price point is right in the ballpark and I love the styling as it reminds me of the 80's Toyota and Nissan Hardbody. That being said, my personal vehicles don't get driven enough to really justify the need or use for an electric.

. I’ve also seen the container company Maersk running these.

Funny you mention them, I passed one of these today on 65. He was doing about 8 under the limit.

I would like to drive one to see how it is. But a range of 155 miles kills its viability for anything other than local. Our P&D drivers usually do less than 100 miles in a day. I wonder if they could even get a full day out of it, or would sitting in traffic kill the range.

It would be fun to test drive one. I know there are also hybrid trucks out there, at least in development. Electric drive axel and batteries, but with an APU type diesel to charge the batteries on demand.

The reason that truck pictured only has a 155 mile range is because that’s the longest extension cord available.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

I'd like to try one of the Edison Motor trucks.

Pepsi, being the woke company they are has a couple at their Denver facility, parked. I asked on of their drivers about it He said it basically a display item. They have no means to charge it, limited range and it can't do the i70 corridor due to weather, mountains and lack of charging capability.

So it basically sits in their yard. Go team woke.

That electric truck vibe looks fresh! With a range of about 155 miles, it could be a solid choice for local routes. Charging times matter though, so it’d be cool to find that out. As for driving one, why not? It seems like a smooth way to get into the future of trucking, plus it’s probably quieter and cleaner.

It seems like a smooth way to get into the future of trucking, plus it’s probably quieter and cleaner.

Quiter and cleaner are not any business objectives that I am aware of. Trucking has always gravitated to efficiency. Otherwise our goods would have to cost more. To this day, the class 8 diesel powered vehicles are still the most efficient means of moving the majority of our goods. The future of trucking will always be efficiency.