Chainwright wrote:
time2roll wrote:
I understood the Nucleon was a commissioned government concept project.
Chrysler turbine used about twice the fuel as a big block of the day to putt around town.
Unless the interstates have overhead power to match the trolley poles on the EV truck I doubt it will work for cross country shipping. Although it might be time to ship more by rail for long distance. EV trucks should be a good fit for many local deliveries. Down time for charging will need to be coordinated with loading and unloading. Some battery may need to be in the trailer reducing load volume and weight. Many compromises to eliminate diesel. Economics will eventually determine success.
I look forward to a plug-in hybrid MH or pick-up in the future.
there is work in progress on battery packs that will re charge in 20 mins. Mercedes and Tesla are tackling the Mid range trucking industry for now, the long range is next. We all know technology is evolutionary. Progress is being made every day. Y'all remember the 1st computers they filled a room and couldn't even do what a Hand held Texas-instruments calculator (from the 90s) could do, Now look at a LAP top and what it can do!!!
or the rotary Telephone. LOL. Now we got SMART phones with hundreds of Uses more than a rotary phone. Hey, you never know in 2020 we may have Truck Battery packs 1/2 size of what they are today. Tesla doesn't Copyright his Patents, so Everyone can use them, improve and re work them for efficiency purposes or use them for their inventions. He doesn't want snail paced progress, he wants realistic progress. He knows Technology doesn't just stand still, it is constantly advancing.
We both drive electric vehicles. I remember 5 years ago when we started looking at the leaf (the only game in town then other than the Tesla Roadster). The critics were saying to not expect much for additional range as there really wasn't much more room for energy density with the lithium technology of the time. The leaf had a 24 KWH battery back then. Now it comes standard with a 40 KWH battery and the long range version (later 2018) has 60 KWH. The Bolt also has a 60 KWH battery. The Teslas S's and X are now 100 KWH with north of 330 miles of range. I suspect you'll see a 120 KWH version within the next two years. Pretty much 400 miles of range. We'll keep driving our 30 KWH leaf and smart ED until we retire in 4 years as we don't need more than 100 miles of range but when we do I suspect whatever we buy will have a 300 to 400 miles range. Exciting times. The only time I get stinky hands from a fuel pump now is when we fill up the diesel pusher. Maybe by the time we retire they'll have a Winebago Via electric version, :)
What will give Tesla the advantage is their supercharger Network. Here is the newly opening 40 stall site in Baker California.
