Electric Lorry

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Electric Lorry
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derbyshiredowser

Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 980
Location: derbyshire

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 19 10:08 pm Post subject: Electric Lorry

With my insomnia I listen with an earpiece to the BBC World service through the night drifting in and out of sleep at random so I only get some info. This morning there was a discussion on electric lorries and they were rather disappointed that in the newest Tesla trucks batteries weighed 5 tons and measured as a 3mtr cube then I went to sleep. Thinking about it during the day 5 tons and 3 cu mtrs as a portion of overall size of a truck doesn't seem to be a great loss weighed against the eco savings? or have I missed something.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Oct 30, 19 10:35 am Post subject:
engine ,gearbox and fuel maybe 2 tons so 3 tons less freight per trip?

derbyshiredowser

Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 980
Location: derbyshire

Posted: Wed Oct 30, 19 12:54 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

engine ,gearbox and fuel maybe 2 tons so 3 tons less freight per trip?

Exactly and I thought they spread the batteries out in a flat under body arrangement , can't see a problem

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15997

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 7:51 am Post subject:

I don't think electric lorries are quite there yet. If you consider that might be just about suitable for a big artic, but it wouldn't work for anything smaller. They talk blithely about electric tractors too, but nobody has even developed one yet as far as I know, and they are going to be far too expensive for the likes of us.

I am still not sure about which way things are going. I understand that we need to reduce our use of fossil fuel, ideally to nothing, but it reminds me a bit of what happened some years ago when we had to stop using CFCs, which were used for degreasing, defluxing and all sorts in the electronics industry. I don't know what happened in the long run, as they were still floundering around trying to find alternatives when I went off long term sick, but it could take 10-20 years to find a new way forward which will settle in one groove.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 8:31 am Post subject:
One option which doesn't appear to be being explored is exchangeable batteries. I can see why it might not be good for domestic cars, and if they weigh several tonnes, then the problem for trucks is obvious, but maybe it could work for tractors.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 10:23 am Post subject:
Several small delivery trucks are being trialed as EV, mostly in Japan, China, and mainland Europe. I've seen several tractors modified to run on electric. I believe John Deere might be working on a commercial version. It's coming. Check out Fully Charged on YouTube

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 10:57 am Post subject:
John Deere do have a prototype they`re working on, We had electric milk floats in the early 60`s,possibly earlier in the bigger towns and cities.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 11:58 am Post subject:

iirc electric milk carts are much earlier than the 1960's

early EV

one advantage of ev over ice is the amount of torque available at every drive speed the major problem is still energy storage in terms of hph between charges and bulk/mass that is a dead load for the vehicle

as mass can be useful with some things , a tarmac roller springs to mind as do things that have to pull when on a softish slippery surface, the large battery rig is a variable problem.

the ease of repowering and work between repowering seems the main limiting factor for many applications so far.

if the batteries can get just a bit better and/or quicker to replace/ repower the criteria for practical seem there already.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 3:02 pm Post subject:

I saw horse drawn milk and bread carts in the early 50's, which went on to become electric carts before the end of the 50's. I preferred the horse drawn delivery men. I collected the manure to sell to neighbours for their gardens, as a pocket money enhancer for Dinky toys for the model farm; still got them today, but wrapped up. I was going to give them to a friend's child, but he has no idea of social value so I'm hanging on to see if he will mature enough to appreciate them as he gets a bit older-otherwise it is an auction and he can waste the cash where he chooses.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 3:08 pm Post subject:
Perfect dinky farm stuff of that era is serious money collectables. i was shocked at how much folk paid for used(as battered as the real thing) ones when i shifted some a few years back.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 3:20 pm Post subject:

I have just been to look at the link to the vehicles show. My grand-father had friends who were connected with some of those people mentioned, he ran a small engineering firm in Willenhall, by Wolverhampton. The 3 wheeler electric milk float was all the rage then. I will have to go back and make a few notes, to refresh my childhood. I have Hornby Dublo 3-rail track around 400 feet of it- and at least 20 locos and associated coaches and wagons, I also have my Meccano, and Bayko, a building toy. I have just never had children to play with them-wife didn't want any and I wasn't bothered. The only associated child I know would not have the patience to play with them so thank you dpack I will probably sell, and buy a suitable bottle or 2

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 3:37 pm Post subject:

It was AJS that my grand father used to do work for, in so much as he used to do the books for them, after he had finished his own company's work! It appears that when AJS kicked off they were practical, and like me didn't like paper work. My grand father said they were innovators.
I once did work for one of the AJ Stevens' family grand-daughters-they wanted me to look after the pigs when they went away on holiday at the tender age of 17-which I duly did. They had old buildings, but sow crates for farrowing in an old cow shed and the slope got rid of the liquids-very modern for the time. There I was introduced to the 4wd small dumper truck for tipping onto the muck heap, which I think was featured on here a year or so ago by gz if I remember correctly.
A wonderful 2 weeks for a 17 yo.

There were also petrol or diesel Corona soft drink lorries delivering to houses which had the crates of pop on the lorry in the shape of a 'v'-inverted obviously, so the pop wouldn't fall out if the driver went on a slope or a pothole or a bender!

Another thing was that when I went to the next generation Stevens' I was allowed to play with his huge model Hornby Dublo railway in the son's bedroom. It was operated from the middle from under a huge look a like mountain made from mesh painted but you could see through it and all electric. I had to have such a train set and saved to get my own from a simple oval to a lot of track! Sorry I am going on again!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 6:03 pm Post subject:

a specialist auction in a reputable auction house might well be your best chum for quality stuff like that.
it is not always the "big"items that get the premium prices, the bits that usually got lost can be very popular

as a non expert i recon you might get quite a surprise at the value

wow, in good condition some of that stuff is very popular, especially the tiny parts and accessories that are often lost.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 6:46 pm Post subject:
Episode entirely on lorries including a business that's already operating 70+ electric delivery vehicles in London https://youtu.be/i4lq7zyLz6M

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Oct 31, 19 8:00 pm Post subject:

we have quite a few taxi drivers who have gone or are going electric round here

i would think that as vehicles are replaced in localish delivery fleets it will make sense to go ev.

the recharging issues are what seem to be limiting stuff that travels wherever rather than working on a home patch near your own charger

the first gen busses we had here were a bit firey and seem to have gone to the big home of good idea ,not quite working yet things.

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