Ohio trucking company adds electric trucks to its fleet

[thewayne]

The new Mack trucks have a 230 mile range and will compose 1% of the company's fleet, but will serve as an excellent test bed. It will also reduce diesel fume and particulate pollution around the company's warehouse facilities.

I spotted an electric semi truck coming back from Phoenix last month on I-10, it might have been a Mack. I thought that was pretty cool. I can't wait to see more of them on the road.

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/pitt-ohio-trucking-company-ev-fleet/

Comments

[acelightning73]

My dad was a long-haul trucker. He'd have been annoyed about the change - he was perfectly "in synch" with internal combustion engines in a profound way, that might not have been applicable to an electric vehicle. (I inherited all my technomagic from him.) I have never driven an electric vehicle, but I've been a passenger in one. The various magnetic fields make my brain itch a little bit. But major cargo hauling makes a lot of sense for vehicles with lower emissions.

[thewayne]

I think they have the potential to be quite a boon in dense and metro areas, basically short-haul trucking, and that with the mass that such trucks typically haul, the regenerative braking will be quite useful.  They definitely don't have the range/recharge time for interstate trucking - at this time.  Perhaps that time will come some day.

[kaishin108]

That is very cool!

[thewayne]

Agreed!

[disneydream06]

WOW. that is great news. :)
Hugs, Jon

[silveradept]

That sounds like it will be excellent for short-haul materials, and for distribution from central locations to their regional spokes and eventual final destinations. Even if we reduced diesel to only being part of long-haul things, that would be fantastic.

[thewayne]

Considering the number of warehouse hubs around train depots, ship/dock terminals, electrifying short-haul semis could definitely be a boon.  Plus with their instant-on full torque, I'll be the drivers will appreciate them.

[silveradept]

I'll bet they're also quieter and are less likely to run afoul of the "Use of compression brakes prohibited" and other signs around that say "Keep it down, trucks!"

[thewayne]

Hmm.  Air brakes are an interesting point.  As I understand it - on trains - they're a positive pressure system and a loss of pressure causes the brakes to engage.  I'm not certain if that's the same system on  freight trucks.