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Aug 10, 2017

BATTERY BUSINESS * China: Nissan sell unit to chinese private

* Tokyo - In $1 billion deal, Nissan it's looking for ways to rein in costs to make Leaf competitive

--- Nissan Motor Co. is selling its battery business to Chinese private equity firm GSR Capital for about $1 billion, a person with knowledge of the matter said, as the carmaker seeks ways to improve competitiveness of its Leaf electric cars while reining in costs... The deal covers Nissan’s battery subsidiary Automotive Energy Supply Corp. as well as manufacturing operations in Japan, the U.S. and U.K., Nissan said in a statement Tuesday, which didn’t disclose financial terms. Assets sold to GSR will also include part of Nissan’s Japanese battery development and engineering operations in Oppama, Atsugi and Zama...
(Photo Bloomberg - An employee prepares to install a charging plug in the socket of a Nissan Leaf electric automobile during the Geneva International Motor Show in the Swiss city in 2015)   --   Tokyo, Japan - BLOOMBERG/Japan Times - AUG 9, 2017

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Aug 29, 2016

TESLA news * USA: Electric-Car Battery With a 315-Mile Range

* California - Tesla unveils its new ‘Ludicrous’ P100D will be the ‘fastest car in the world’

(Video by hybridcarsmedia - 21 nov. 2010: During the 2010 LA Auto Sow, Phil Gow, Coda's VP of Battery Systems, introduced Brad Berman, editor and founder of HybridCars.com and PluginCars.com, to the internal battery systems of the new all electric sedan) 

--- Tesla Motors Inc. said it is offering its electric vehicles with a battery capable of going up to 315 miles on a charge, the first time a major auto maker has provided that much electric range in a vehicle... The company unveiled new versions of its Model S sedan and Model X sport-utility vehicle with 100 kilowatt-hour batteries; previously the largest battery size was 90 kwh. The upgrade—which Tesla executives said was made possible by increasing the energy density of its battery packs—will allow the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company to sell a P100 version of those two vehicles with Tesla’s well-known “Ludicrous Mode” ... The 315-mile range sets a new benchmark for automotive engineers looking to lessen fears about so-called range anxiety, which drivers encounter when traveling longer distances in an electric car. Because electric cars must be plugged into charging ports that aren’t as readily available as gas stations, nor as fast, many car buyers have refused to even consider one... Tesla’s Model S sedan will get the 315-mile range. The heavier SUV won’t be able to travel as far on a charge... The P100D sedan will cost $134,500 and the SUV will cost $135,500. The current Tesla line starts at about $66,000 and can go roughly 200 miles on a single charge...
Palo Alto, CAL, USA - The WSJ, by JOHN D. STOLL - Aug. 23, 2016

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May 16, 2016

NEW ELECTRIC TRUCK MAKER * USA: NIKOLA MOTOR COMPANY

* Michigan - Introducing NMC's new 6X6 electric truck

-- Brand-new US truck manufacturer, the Nikola Motor Company (NMC), has emerged from the shadows to launch a 6x6 electric truck with 2,000hp and a 1,200-mile (1,931km) range... Named the Nikola One, the near-zero emission vehicle can haul up to 36-tonne thanks to a 335hp electric motor and a dual gear reduction at every wheel... The company says the truck’s six motors can offer a combined 5,000Nm of torque before gear reduction, and move the 9.5-tonne truck from still to 100km/h in 30 seconds... Another change from a traditional diesel truck is the position of the chassis, which sits above most of the truck’s heavy components in the Nikola One... This has been achieved by removing the diesel engine and the transmission, and by manufacturing the cab out of lighter, but stronger, carbon fibre panels... With no transmission, the vehicle is operated via an acceleration pedal and brake pedal... In terms of fuel, the electric vehicle has a 320kWh lithium-ion battery pack, with is recharged during operation via a proprietary onboard Nikola Motor Company turbine... The turbine can run on petrol, diesel, or natural gas. The supply of which needs to be refilled every 1,931km, depending on load and terrain... Because each wheel has its own individual motor, the Nikola One features torque vectoring... The feature provides dynamic control on each wheel, so as each wheel’s speed and torque output can be controlled individually cornering, traction, tyre wear, and stopping power can be enhanced...

... Inside the cab, which NMC says reducing drag by five per cent over traditional American cabs, the Nikola One offers a full-size fridge and freezer, electric climate controlled cabin, 15-inch touch-screen infotainment display, 10-inch instrument cluster display, 4G LTE internet and Wi-Fi, over the air software updates, panoramic windshield, sunroof, two full size beds, microwave, and 42-inch television. All amenities are powered by the battery pack, which can keep them all running for almost a week without draining... Expecting the truck to cost half that of a diesel semi-trailer truck per mile in on-highway use, the US truck maker says it has also included technology to accommodate platooning... Its Virtual Hitch/Fleet Convoy technology, which is still under development, will offer up to five trucks the option to travel in sync through NMC’s wireless vehicle network and self-driving technology... With the Nikola One just launching in the US, it is very unlikely it will make an appearance in Australia or New Zealand anytime soon...
(Photos: New truck on-highway truck with 2,000hp and almost zero emissions in the US)  --  Royal Oak, MICH, USA - Trade Trucks (Australia) - 11 May 2016

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Apr 13, 2016

DAIMLER * Germany: TEST ELECTRIC TRUCKS

* Stuttgart - Daimler tests EV trucks in urban setting

-- Daimler will take an entire year to test a new fleet of battery-powered trucks with zero emissions. The city of Stuttgart in Germany is cooperating with the project... The company is running the initiative out of the Fuso brand of Daimler Trucks... The goal of the isn't to disrupt the long-haul industry, but to offer a solid alternative in the urban mobility market... A similar EV truck test in Portugal led to operating costs falling 64% compared to conventional diesel... FedEx, UPS, and privately-owned Via Motors are also active in EV truck development for urban settings... 
(Photo: The first fleet of zero-emission, fully electric, battery-operated Fuso Canter trucks has gone into trial service working with the Municipality of Stuttgart)   --  Stuttgart, Germany - Seeking Alpha, by Clark Schultz - Apr 12 2016

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Jan 14, 2016

ELECTRIC TRUCKS * China: BYD's supplies DHL

* Shenzhen - BYD supplies DHL with electric distribution fleet

-- The first batch of 35 pure electric vans - BYD's all new T3 commercial vehicle model - has been delivered to DHL International Air Express Co. to provide daily logistics in the Central Business District of the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and surrounding areas... The fleet is the start of a strategic cooperation between DHL and BYD which includes warehousing, city distribution and other fields in the Chinese market. If this initial fleet proves successful it is anticipated that more BYD logistics vehicles will enter service with DHL... BYD's all new pure electric vehicle T3 adopts the advanced technology and design of its MPV family of vehicles, including stylish external appearance and a spacious and comfortable interior... 
(Photo: A DHL all electric) -- Shenzhen, China - Irish Trucker - 13 January 2016

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Dec 15, 2015

ELECTRIC TRUCK * Sweden: Scania to begin trial in March

* Sweden - Overhead lines will power hybrid trucks along a Swedish highway next year

-- Swedish truck maker Scania planning to trial electric trucks on electrified roads in February next year, hoping to realise fossil fuel savings of up to 90 per cent... Part of Sweden’s Gävle Electric Road project, a co-financed initiative from the Swedish government and the business community, the trial will take place on a two-kilometre test route from the Port of Gävle to Storvik... The modified highway has been equipped with overhead powerlines which will power the test vehicles through conductive technology... The vehicles feature a Siemens-developed pantograph power collector mounted behind the cab to harness the electrical current supplied from above and a Scania-developed electric hybrid drivetrain... 
(Photo: Scania truck fitted with a pantograph developed by Siemens)   --  Södertälje, Sweden - Fully Loaded (Australia) - 15 Dec 2015

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Oct 18, 2015

ELECTRIC TRUCKMAKER NEWS * USA: Chinese swoop on electric truck maker

* Kansas - Taxpayer-subsidized Smith Electric Vehicles “raised a 2,9M loan” from a a Chinese manufacturer

-- The painful and fruitless existence of Smith Electric Vehicles, waster of $32 million in U.S. taxpayer funds, has been extended after yet another near bankruptcy... The truck manufacturer, whose actual business negotiates in government grants, tax breaks and other subsidies – rather than a product anyone actually wants to pay for – had announced at the end of September, via its British investor Tanfield Group, that it needed to raise $4.5 million by October 2nd and $10 million by the end of the month. Without the cash infusion, Tanfield said, “the company is likely to be forced to seek protection under US bankruptcy laws or close down its operations” ... Yesterday Tanfield notified its own investors that Smith Electric had “raised a loan” of $2.9 million thanks to help from – as you might guess – a Chinese manufacturer, FDG Electric Vehicles Limited, which already had an ownership stake. As for the remaining $7.1 million Smith says it needs, FDG has said it will cover any shortfall in raising it, according to Tanfield...
(Photo)   --  Kansas City, KNS, USA - NLPC, by Paul Chesser - 15 Oct 2015

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Oct 2, 2015

ELECTRIC TRUCKMAKER NEWS * USA: Orange EV's

* Missouri - Orange EV T-Series electric terminal truck

-- Electric terminal carmaker Orange EV announced Wednesday that it intends to meet increasing demand for its vehicles by expanding its operations in Kansas City, Mo. ... The Riverside-based startup also plans on keeping up with rising demand by filling up to 15 production and business management positions by the end of this year, according to NGT News... Among the Orange EV vehicles receiving more orders is the T-Series electric terminal truck, whose fuel is converted from diesel to pure electric energy. The company is able to do this by replacing the powertrain and control systems, and it says that it extend the truck's life while reducing pollution by recycling the chassis and other durable components... Orange EV also plans on moving to a new plant in Riverside that's six times the size of its original headquarters... 
(Photo: The T-Series electric terminal truck) -- Kansas City, MO, USA - Auto World News, by John Nassivera - Oct 01, 2015

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Sep 25, 2015

ELECTRIC PICKUP TRUCKMAKER * USA: To enter in the U.S. market by 2016

* North Carolina - The EV Fleet Inc's "Condor 2015"

  (EV Fleet Condor 2015 Electric Truck - Video by EV Fleet Inc. - Sep 17, 2014)

 -- EV Fleet Inc's "Condor 2015" is a pick-up size electric truck. "The Condor" is a safe and affordable option for fleet use on America’s highways. It will get a range of more than 100 miles between charges. Cost to operate: average of 1.5 per mile. No special charging station necessary... As with other hotly anticipated electric vehicles, administrative holdups are standing in the way of "the Condor’s" green light on the production front. EV Fleet told "the Condor" is about one third of the way through its airbag tests, which are the final hurdle to getting it on U.S. roads. Within six months, this green work truck should be ready to report for duty... 
Charlotte, NC, USA - CheatSheet, by Eric Schaal - 23 Sept 2015

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Jul 8, 2015

ELECTRIC TRUCKMAKERS * Germany: BMW's

* Munich - Electric truck takes up delivery duties for BMW in

-- BMW's electric truck has been let loose on the Munich roads, ready to take up service delivering materials between supplier SCHERM and BMW's manufacturing plant. The 40 ton (36 tonne) truck has a range of 100 km (62 mi), allowing it to work all day without needing a charge. The truck will be recharged on fully renewable energy sources...  The Terberg truck the BMW electric 40 ton load hauler is based on the Type YT202-EV 4x2 from Dutch manufacturer Terberg, the all-electric truck takes between three and four hours to charge and will complete the 2 km (1.2 mi) trip between SCHERM and BMW eight times a day, for a total daily commute of just 16 km. While the distances may be relatively short, the trucks are doing some seriously heavy hauling, and the environmental benefits of not using diesel powered trucks on that route are significant... 
(Image: BMW's electric truck can cover 100 km on one charge)  --  Munich, Germany - Gizmag, by Scott Collie - July 6, 2015

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Jun 3, 2015

ELECTRIC TRUCKS * USA - Tesla's: All trucks electrifieds ?

* California - Tesla co-founder wants to electrify aging trucks

 (Video from AP)
 -- Tesla Motors co-founder Ian Wright, wants to make trucks cleaner and greener. His firm Wrightspeed makes electric powertrains for garbage and delivery trucks...  It's expanding fast as fleet owners retrofit aging trucks to meet stricter emissions standards... 
Fremont, CAl, USA - Associated Press/USA Today - Jun 2, 2015

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Jun 1, 2015

NEW ELECTRIC TRUCKMAKER * USA: Motiv Power

* California - New factory will make 480 “Instant” Electric Trucks & Buses per year


-- Motiv Power Systems has figured out another way to get more EVs into the hands of more people, sooner rather than later. Motiv’s secret sauce is an all-electric powertrain that can be assembled onto three different off-the-shelf chassis using off-the-shelf batteries and motors, which eliminates a lot of fuss and bother, and this explains why the California Energy Commission has provided the company with an $8.1 million grant to ramp its powertrain into the market and rev up a new factory in Hayward... To be honest, these are not sporty chassis. Specifically, Motiv’s “All-Electric Powertrain Upfit Package” can fit the Ford F59, the Ford E450, and the Crane Carrier cabover class 8 chassis, which covers everything from box trucks to school buses and garbage trucks... The Hayward factory, which officially open May 27, will turn out 480 Motiv powertrains per year... 
Hayward, CAL, USA -  Clean Technica, by Tina Casey - May 27th, 2015

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May 13, 2015

ELECTRIC TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA: TransPower touts testing of its heavy-duty electric truck technologies

* California - Independent laboratory performed all tests with a high degree of reliability
-- Transportation Power Inc., which provides clean vehicle and stationary energy storage technologies and products, has announced results of independent laboratory testing that touts its electric vehicle technologies... Frank Falcone, TransPower’s director of powertrain engineering, said the testing at the University of California in Riverside, “confirms the significant reliability, environmental benefits and economic advantages offered by heavy-duty trucks and tractors using TransPower’s electric vehicle (EV) technologies. For a truck with a half a million mile operating life, the energy cost savings predicted by the CE-CERT (UC Riverside's Bourns College of Engineering-Center for Environmental Research and Technology) testing would amount to $630,000 over the life of the truck” ... Falcone add, “We estimate that with maintenance savings, total life-cycle savings could exceed $700,000 and that could increase to $1 million or more with higher fuel prices” ... Accounting for the greenhouse gases produced by power plants to generate the electricity used by the TransPower-powered truck, the vehicle “is expected to reduce GHG in typical drayage drive cycles by 67-68 percent” ... TransPower’s on-road truck has an equivalent energy cost of 23 cents per mile, as compared with $1.49 per mile for a typical diesel truck — an 85 percent reduction... TransPower’s electric tractor has an energy cost of 31 cents per mile, compared with $1.12 per mile for an equivalent diesel yard tractor and 99 cents per mile for the latest hybrid yard tractor tested by CE-CERT...
Poway, CAL, USA - Trucking News - May 13, 2015

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May 5, 2015

ELECTRIC TRUCKMAKERS NEWS * USA: Wrightspeed's

* California - Turbine generator could solve range anxiety in electric-powered garbage trucks

-- “Maintenance nightmare”: That’s how Lou Ratto, chief operating officer of a waste and recycling company in Sonoma County, Calif., describes the challenge of keeping his garbage trucks compliant with the state’s air quality standards... In August the Ratto Group will receive a garbage truck with a battery-powered electric motor, and a turbine generator that will extend the truck’s driving range. Traditional garbage trucks get awful gas mileage, but putting electric motors in them has proved challenging given concerns over the range of the batteries... Ratto has signed a contract with Wrightspeed to outfit 17 trucks of his trucks with its electric powertrains, which include its new turbine generator, called the Fulcrum. The turbine can run on fuels ranging from diesel to natural gas to propane and kerosene. Ratto will use diesel... The turbine charges the battery, which then powers the wheels. This is a crucial distinction, as using turbines in vehicles has traditionally been unappealing because turbines are so inefficient at low speeds. Since the turbine is charging the battery and not powering the wheels at idle, there’s no problem... FedEx has pilot-tested the technology and placed 25 orders for its fleet...
(Photo from Wrightspeed - Retrofited trucks with electric powertrains. A California garbage company will soon test its technology in an effort to save money) -- Sonoma County, CAL, USA - The Washington Post, by Matt McFarland - May 4, 2015

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Apr 17, 2015

ELECTRIC TRUCKMAKERS * USA: Rather than burn fuel to drive wheels, the Wrightspeed generator-engine produces electricity

* California - Dawn of electric truck technology

-- The all-electric Tesla S car has wowed all who’ve driven it, and now the Kiwi co-founder of Tesla is working on a parallel feat by reinventing the truck powertrain... Ian Wright’s 'Wrightspeed' all-electric powertrains won’t revolutionise long-haul transport - that’s still a job for fossil fuels, Mr Wright said, or better, diesel-electric trains - but they are already transforming the operating costs of metropolitan haulage... “Here in the United States, the average Class 8 full-sized garbage truck is burning $55-$65,000 a year in fuel, and up to $30,000 in maintenance,” Mr Wright told Fairfax from his California headquarters. “Of that, we can save about $35,000 in fuel and $20,000 in maintenance. They are pretty substantial savings” ... On a big garbage truck, each drive unit is rated at 250 horsepower. On trucks with four drive wheels, the system has to be capable of generating enough electricity to produce 1000hp... A typical Wrightspeed-equipped garbage truck will get 30 miles (50 kilometres) out of an overnight plug-in recharge of its batteries. “Those are the cheapest miles, because electricity is very cheap compared to fuel,” Mr Wright said...
(Photo: Wrightspeed converts trucks into EVs with onboard diesel generators)  --  Palo Alto, CAL, USA - Farm Weekly, by MATTHEW CAWOOD - 13 Apr, 2015

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Feb 27, 2015

ELECTRIC VANS SALES * UK: Nissan's

* England - TfL contractor launches its first two Nissan electric vans


  -- Cambridge engineering firm Z-Tech Control Systems Ltd has launched its first two electric vehicles to join its London office in order to serve its pumping systems maintenance contract with Transport for London (TfL)... The two new zero emission Nissan eNV200s are some of the first all-electric commercial vehicles to be used by a TfL contractor as part of the its commitment to lower air pollution in the UK capital... And, in order to help promote further uptake of zero emission vehicles, Z-Tech is also offering free charging points at both its London and Cambridge offices, which provide fast charging points for up to two vehicles at a time... (Photo: Z-Tech’s new Nissan electric vans will help serve its pumping systems maintenance contract with Transport for London) - Cambridge,EN,UK -Air Quality News -19 Feb 2015

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Jan 21, 2015

ELECTRIC TRUCK MAKER * USA: Tesla's

* California - Tesla co-founder Ian Wright opens Alameda plant to make electric truck powertrains

(Photo: Ian Wright, CEO of Wrightspeed) 
San Francisco,CAL,USA -The San Francisco Business Times, by Patrick Hoge -Jan 20, 2015: -- Tesla co-founder Ian Wright is founder and CEO of Wrightspeed, a maker of electric hybrid powertrains for large trucks that has moved its headquarters and assembly plant to Alameda...The company expects to grow by a factor of more than 12 to more than 300 employees by 2018... Wrightspeed on Tuesday said it had moved into the city-owned 110,000-square-foot historic Hangar 41 at the former Alameda Naval Air Station. Wrightspeed plans to invest $3 million in the plant, where its "range extender" products will be assembled... Wrightspeed says its plug-in hybrid powertrains, which generate electricity through regenerative braking, are designed to replace components in existing medium and heavy-duty commercial trucks. The change makes the vehicles "near zero-emission, quiet, and efficient commercial vehicles" ...

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Nov 14, 2014

ELECTRIC TRUCKMAKERS * USA: VIa Motors' eVan

* Utah - Via Motors gets EPA certification, starts eREV Van deliveries to utility fleets


(Photo: Modified to run on a plug-in hybrid electric drive train, the eREV Van has a 40 mile electric range, and is capable of directly powering tools at a jobsite) 
Orem,UTH,USA -Examiner, by David Herron -13 Nov 2014: -- On Thursday, plug-in hybrid electric truck maker Via Motors announced having received EPA and CARB certifications allowing the company to proceed with a project to sell over 170 PHEV vans to 50 utility company fleets. The project, in association with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), is part of a nationwide demonstration by the US Deptartment of Energy announced a year ago... Via Motors sources pickup trucks (Chevy Silverado) and vans (Chevy Express) from General Motors, and modifies them to have a plug-in hybrid electric drive train. It provides similar "extended range electric vehicle" experience as the Chevy Volt. The Via Motors eREV Van can drive 35 miles on electricity, while the eREV VTRUX (pickup truck) can drive 40 miles on electricity. Both switch to a hybrid mode as necessary, and total driving range is over 300 miles...

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Oct 31, 2014

TECHNO-LOGISTICS & TRUCKS * USA / Germany : Trucks & Drones

* Ohio - Electric trucks plus drones could make deliveries 'green'
(Photo Credit: AMP EV: AMP's drone, dubbed Horsefly, could be used together with electric trucks to deliver goods to future online shoppers)
Cincinnati,OH,USA -Live Science, by Jesse Emspak -October 29, 2014: -- AMP Electric Vehicles, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is proposing a new way to deliver goods that combines drones with fuel-efficient electric trucks... AMP wants to add drones to the delivery service to boost efficiency even further. The drone would be attached to the vehicle, and would be capable of carrying packages weighing up to 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) for two or three miles (3 to 4 km) before returning to the truck... For businesses like FedEx, DHL or UPS, AMP's CEO, Steve Burns said, the drone-truck system can lower the cost of deliveries to 2 cents per mile. Typical costs for UPS, for instance, average about 50 cents per mile... Development of this same-day delivery service depends on forthcoming regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)...


* Germany - DHL's 'Parcelcopter' delivery drone

(Photo by Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters: DHL deploys 'parcelcopter' drone for drug deliveries... A flock of pigeons flies with a prototype "parcelcopter" of German postal and logistics) 
Norddeich,Norden,Germany -Live Science, by Elizabeth Palermo -September 26, 2014: -- Though the drones will be running on autopilot, DHL has set up a mobile ground station in Norddeich so that manual action can be taken if an aircraft malfunctions, or if an emergency occurs...

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Oct 5, 2014

ELECTRIC TRUCKMAKERS * USA: Tesla's - Wrightspeed's

* California - The market for trucks is booming. Is that what Elon Musk is aiming for with the ‘D’?

San Francisco,CAL,USA -The Washington Post, by Brian Fung -October 2, 2014: ... Trucks are a huge part of the U.S. auto market. So far this year, manufacturers have moved over 1.6 million new trucks off the lot — a 4.4 percent increase over this time last year and more than double the number of mid-sized SUVs... Designing an energy efficient truck is hard enough with traditional technology. Everything's heavier compared to a sedan. It needs to be more durable. If you're carrying a load in the back, that raises the power requirements even more. Can Tesla's technology take it? Brauer now seems to think so... "Under certain circumstances, trucks make perfect sense," said Karl Brauer, a senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book... 


* California - Why this Tesla Motors Co-founder loves electric garbage trucks 

(Photo: A FedEX electric truck)
San Jose,CAL,USA -xconomy, by Martin LaMonica -3 Oct 2014: -- Ian Wright is the founder of Wrightspeed, a San Jose, CA-based startup that’s designed electric powertrains for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. “Garbage trucks are the perfect driving cycle for us: they get two or three miles per gallon, drive 130 miles a day with 1,000 hard stops that chew on the brakes. They’re just perfect,” he says... He’s come around to thinking that the biggest opportunity for electric vehicle disruption is where most of the fuel is burned—that is, big trucks. Cars may go through a few hundred gallons of gas a year but a commercial truck will burn through thousands of gallons or more. That means there’s a better financial incentive in terms of fuel savings to go electric... The technology in Wrightspeed’s truck conversion kits is deep. There’s an electric motor on each of the truck’s drive wheels (it can be two or four depending on the vehicle) and an on-board generator to replenish batteries once their charge gets below about 20 percent. The generator can operate on natural gas or diesel... Wrightspeed is targeting fleet owners in metro areas where the regular stop-and-go traffic is an advantage: by braking or slowing down, the powertrain can recharge the battery, just as a hybrid car does... Wright’s belief is that electric powertrain technology is fundamentally better—electric motors are very efficient and generally offer better driving performance. But it needs the right business model to truly become mainstream...

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