dodge guy
Bartlett IL
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valhalla360 wrote:dodge guy wrote:I think this would work if they had a good solar panel system. I think with a van type trailer loaded with solar panels would greatly extend mileage.
It will be interesting!
Assuming a 8'x 50' trailer with 14w per sqft that's about 5.6kw of panels assuming 100% coverage (80-90% is more realistic).
On a typical day, the assumption is typically about 4hr at the rated output, so 22.4kw-h generated.
A semi-tractor typically has a 400-500hp diesel and climbing long grades is the use case that pushes the HP requirement (unlike a car where it's acceleration that drives the HP requirements and the low end torque of an electric motor is a big advantage). Going down the road loaded at 65mph, expect the engine to be putting out around 200hp or about 153kw.
So at 65mph, a full days solar collection (assuming 100% efficiency) will generate 8.75 minutes of propulsion.
When you figure you won't get 100% coverage on the top of the truck, the panels won't be 100% clean and you won't get 100% efficiency, if you get 5 minutes run time off the solar panels, I would be shocked. At 6mpg, that's about 0.9gal diesel per day saved. So let's be generous and assume fuel prices go up such that it's $5/day in fuel savings or 1.8% of the fuel consumption on an 8hr run.
A 5.6kw home solar array runs about $15k. Let's pretend, the truck one wouldn't cost more and wouldn't negate the energy collected by increased drag with the solar panels.
- If you got an interest free loan it would take 8 yrs to pay off but assuming say a 5% it jumps to 11yrs
- At current $2.50/gal, the 5% annual interest is greater than the annual payment. Even worse if you figure $20k solar array to make it road worthy.
Great math. I was only talking about extending the range, not for full charging. Basically supplemental to plug in charging. But it sounds like it wouldn't be enough to make a difference.
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fj12ryder
Platte City, MO
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NJRVer wrote:They will be all over the roads in 25 years. You mean like all the electric cars there are now? Or all the flying cars that Mechanix Illustrated predicted?
Batteries and battery maintaining systems have a long way to go before its possible. Nothing says they won't make it, but there's no guarantee that they will.
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hawkeye-08
Northwest
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The only way large trucks would be viable is if the battery packs could be swapped out quickly for a fully charged pack.
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time2roll
Southern California
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dodge guy wrote:Great math. I was only talking about extending the range, not for full charging. Basically supplemental to plug in charging. But it sounds like it wouldn't be enough to make a difference. Could be possible to run a cooling unit on a refrigerated trailer.
Not going to work in all conditions without an additional battery or generator.
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time2roll
Southern California
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hawkeye-08 wrote:The only way large trucks would be viable is if the battery packs could be swapped out quickly for a fully charged pack. Do truckers really drive 8 to 12 hours non-stop?
What is the maximum shift before a rest is required?
But honestly I think this will be more short haul service and partially recharging at each stop.
The real change will be a self driving option.
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valhalla360
No paticular place.
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time2roll wrote:Do truckers really drive 8 to 12 hours non-stop?
What is the maximum shift before a rest is required?
But honestly I think this will be more short haul service and partially recharging at each stop.
The real change will be a self driving option.
Where they are doing long haul with teams...yes.
But this truck is for short haul. Recharging at each stop is impractical. If you have 20 stops and you spend 5 minutes hooking up and 5 min disconnecting at each stop, that's over 3hrs out of an 8hr shift. 5 minutes may be a little high but even at half that, 1.5hrs out of an 8hr drivers day is a lot, so no, recharging at each stop is not likely, plus you have to put charging stations in at all the loading docks.
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marcsbigfoot20b27
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I could see this for a hybrid at best.
Diesel for the long haul.
Electric assist for a big hill or starting from a dead stop.
Electric only (as long as the batteries last) for stop and go LA freeway. Solar to supplement that city/freeway.
Major engine braking effect and fast recharge going down big mountains.
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Turtle n Peeps
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Tesla can't even make one full lap around Nuremburg at full power in their small light car, and yet they are going to make a Semi Truck? Good luck with that!
Musk is farming the government for money. If it wasn't for the billions of dollars that the government gave him, we would not be having this discussion. ![[emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/rolleyes.gif "rolleyes") ![[emoticon]](https://forums.goodsamclub.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/mad.gif "mad")
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John / Angela
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Turtle n Peeps wrote:Tesla can't even make one full lap around Nuremburg at full power in their small light car, and yet they are going to make a Semi Truck? Good luck with that!
Musk is farming the government for money. If it wasn't for the billions of dollars that the government gave him, we would not be having this discussion.
Tesla makes a race car? What small light car are you reffering to. They make family sedans as far as I know and none of which were designed for racing. Is this a prototype you are referring to?
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wilber1
Abbotsford B.C.
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John & Angela wrote:Turtle n Peeps wrote:Tesla can't even make one full lap around Nuremburg at full power in their small light car, and yet they are going to make a Semi Truck? Good luck with that!
Musk is farming the government for money. If it wasn't for the billions of dollars that the government gave him, we would not be having this discussion.
Tesla makes a race car? What small light car are you reffering to. They make family sedans as far as I know and none of which were designed for racing. Is this a prototype you are referring to?
The Model S has been touted for its performance. The fastest lap around the Nordschleife at Nurburgring is the Holy Grail for performance car bragging rights. The OP is saying the Model S can't make a full throttle lap around its 20.8 KM.
Last I heard the current champ for 4 door sedans is the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. It and the Porsche Panamera Turbo were having a back and forth.
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