What you guys think about this electric truck?

[Percolater]

Now I think about it, Never driven 500miles in a day and needed an immediate recharge. I’d need a recharge before the vehicle would, whether it be food, sleep, or stretching my legs; in which I would fuel at this time.

new business idea= Tesla Taco Hut: quick bites while you charge.

 

[jamil]

Now I think about it, Never driven 500miles in a day and needed an immediate recharge. I’d need a recharge before the vehicle would, whether it be food, sleep, or stretching my legs; in which I would fuel at this time.

new business idea= Tesla Taco Hut: quick bites while you charge. 

I think in the future more restaurants and entertainment centers might have recharging stations. EV’s will likely overtake gasoline/diesel vehicles eventually.

 

[actaeon277]

I think in the future more restaurants and entertainment centers might have recharging stations. EV’s will likely overtake gasoline/diesel vehicles eventually.

Eventually.


But, then we'll have to figure out what to do with all the dead batteries.

 

[Percolater]

I think in the future more restaurants and entertainment centers might have recharging stations. EV’s will likely overtake gasoline/diesel vehicles eventually.

inEVitably...
Speaking with all the youngsters this holiday season, they all want and know about Tesla’s. They are the future.

 

[Percolater]

Eventually.


But, then we'll have to figure out what to do with all the dead batteries.

They’ll figure it out, similar to when first refining oil and utilizing all the waste (minus emissions). Certainly, it’s part of their regulatory in R&D, manufacturing, and quality control.

Sounds like they still aren’t having a significant amount of “end of life” batteries coming back. (Impressive for 10 years production.) Once they do, pressure will be on them to figure it out.

note to self... invest in third party battery recyclers

 

[OurDee]

I have been looking at battery info like crazy. It is amazing how much info is out there to digest. Off grid electric storage is has gone crazy high tech. Jeep has a hybrid that lets their 4 cylinder option out torque their larger ICE offerings. There are multiple Electric motorcycle companies doing impressive work. Electric bicycles are moving too. I want to build an electric bicycle for running around Indianapolis in 2020. Prices for the parts have gotten cheap. The part about thick panel shapes being limited is not as limited as imagined. I worked for an automotive stamping plant. Very thick metal can be stamped with the right process. Heated panels are already being stamped in the industry. Musk can have whatever shape he wants. Will there be enough redneck Rivian owners to make them real trucks? 250,000 electric trucks, what effect will that have on the electrical infrastructure? That electric to charge batteries will be coming from coal power plants. Trucks will still be rolling coal.

 

[jamil]

I have been looking at battery info like crazy. It is amazing how much info is out there to digest. Off grid electric storage is has gone crazy high tech. Jeep has a hybrid that lets their 4 cylinder option out torque their larger ICE offerings. There are multiple Electric motorcycle companies doing impressive work. Electric bicycles are moving too. I want to build an electric bicycle for running around Indianapolis in 2020. Prices for the parts have gotten cheap. The part about thick panel shapes being limited is not as limited as imagined. I worked for an automotive stamping plant. Very thick metal can be stamped with the right process. Heated panels are already being stamped in the industry. Musk can have whatever shape he wants. Will there be enough redneck Rivian owners to make them real trucks? 250,000 electric trucks, what effect will that have on the electrical infrastructure? That electric to charge batteries will be coming from coal power plants. Trucks will still be rolling coal.

The power grid will definitely need upgrading. Nuclear power is the way to go I think.

 

[avboiler11]

Last year, California passed a building code requiring all new construction to have grid-tie PV.

This will provide more power to the grid without PG&E needing to spend the capital to build (ha!) additional generating plants.

While EVs do have impressive instant torque, the issue when compared to a modern gas or diesel truck is going to be how they perform under load. While many pickups are simply grocery getters, I use mine for towing a travel trailer, mower, UTV, tractor, etc....towing with an EV is going to cut rated range by half to 2/3 requiring much greater charging infrastructure as well as the ability to charge with a trailer hooked.

We're not remotely there yet, but I'm totally cool with letting folks in upper income brackets who want a status symbol beta test the technology toward refinement.

Also: based on weights, Cybertruck is going to be a class 2b truck, more in line with a F250 or 2500HD than any half ton.

 

[Hawkeye]

I think in the future more restaurants and entertainment centers might have recharging stations. EV’s will likely overtake gasoline/diesel vehicles eventually.

That's already the direction they are going. I spent some time on the Tesla charging webpage. In addition to the Tesla Supercharger "stations", there are a surprising # of "destination" chargers at restaurants, hotels, clubs and shopping malls.

 

[Hawkeye]

Now I think about it, Never driven 500miles in a day and needed an immediate recharge. I’d need a recharge before the vehicle would, whether it be food, sleep, or stretching my legs; in which I would fuel at this time.

new business idea= Tesla Taco Hut: quick bites while you charge. 

I've done a lot of long range driving trips. 650-750 miles in a day. And you are right, you need some sort of breaks in it. If you can properly plan the trip and charging stations are relatively conveniently located, these breaks would be easy to build in to your trip plan. If the battery were truly rated at 500 miles, I'd probably be looking to recharge after using, say, ~300 miles off the battery, and only look to add, say, ~200 to 250 miles of charge. Assuming the quoted 1,000 mile/hour charge time is only at a portion of the charge cycle, if it averaged out to 400 miles/hour that would allow a break of ~30 minutes. Not bad and that is in line with refueling/feeding/bathroom/stretching breaks that I usually take anyway.

 

[schmart]

I've done a lot of long range driving trips. 650-750 miles in a day. And you are right, you need some sort of breaks in it. If you can properly plan the trip and charging stations are relatively conveniently located, these breaks would be easy to build in to your trip plan. If the battery were truly rated at 500 miles, I'd probably be looking to recharge after using, say, ~300 miles off the battery, and only look to add, say, ~200 to 250 miles of charge. Assuming the quoted 1,000 mile/hour charge time is only at a portion of the charge cycle, if it averaged out to 400 miles/hour that would allow a break of ~30 minutes. Not bad and that is in line with refueling/feeding/bathroom/stretching breaks that I usually take anyway.

I'm in somewhat the same situation, but with closer to 900 mile drives to western KS. I've tried to justify electric just like you, but I'd have to take a different route and drop down to I-70 to stay near chargers. This would add another 75 miles to the route. Coupled with needing to charge for between 60 and 90 minutes in the trip, it would add a significant amount of time to the trip. Even if I accepted that, my last trip wouldn't have even been possible w/ an electric as I was coming back through Kansas City during the storm on Dec 15. by going north at KC and across US36/I72 I stayed out of the ice along I70 and was able to make it back (albeit it took 50% longer than normal). With electric, I can't currently take that route as there is NO charging available between KC and Springfield IL. Even there it isn't high speed. Coupled to the reduced range due to cold, I would have been stuck.

I've wanted an electric vehicle for 30+ years, but cannot justify one with the current crop of vehicles and infrastructure. As I take 4 to 5 similar trips/year, renting for the trip isn't cost effective either. However, I am glad for the early adopters that are paying for the technology improvements so someday it may be possible for me.
--Rick

 

[Hawkeye]

I'm in somewhat the same situation, but with closer to 900 mile drives to western KS. I've tried to justify electric just like you, but I'd have to take a different route and drop down to I-70 to stay near chargers. This would add another 75 miles to the route. Coupled with needing to charge for between 60 and 90 minutes in the trip, it would add a significant amount of time to the trip. Even if I accepted that, my last trip wouldn't have even been possible w/ an electric as I was coming back through Kansas City during the storm on Dec 15. by going north at KC and across US36/I72 I stayed out of the ice along I70 and was able to make it back (albeit it took 50% longer than normal). With electric, I can't currently take that route as there is NO charging available between KC and Springfield IL. Even there it isn't high speed. Coupled to the reduced range due to cold, I would have been stuck.

I've wanted an electric vehicle for 30+ years, but cannot justify one with the current crop of vehicles and infrastructure. As I take 4 to 5 similar trips/year, renting for the trip isn't cost effective either. However, I am glad for the early adopters that are paying for the technology improvements so someday it may be possible for me.
--Rick

I hear you. Rural areas are kind of gray right now. The closest Supercharger to me is ~ 45 miles one-way so I'd generally be relying on my home charger for daily stuff. There is one destination charger in town, currently. Most of the longer drives that I have looked into are along interstates so there is reasonable coverage for me on those trips. And that is based on today's charger map. I'd expect it to get better over the next couple of years before the CyberTruck is available.

 

[rvb]

I’m waiting for a locomotive shaped like a truck. Trains don’t use their diesel to make it go, they make electricity to make it it go. Put this in a truck. I want the torque, individual wheel control etc that comes from electric, but I want to be able to tow my camper through the Appalachians without taking an hour to recharge after an hour of towing. A small diesel could recharge batteries while driving or directly power the motors. it would be possible to make it across the country towing a huge load without stopping all on a few gallons of fossil fuel. Why isn’t this being done?

 

[actaeon277]

I’m waiting for a locomotive shaped like a truck. Trains don’t use their diesel to make it go, they make electricity to make it it go. Put this in a truck. I want the torque, individual wheel control etc that comes from electric, but I want to be able to tow my camper through the Appalachians without taking an hour to recharge after an hour of towing. A small diesel could recharge batteries while driving or directly power the motors. it would be possible to make it across the country towing a huge load without stopping all on a few gallons of fossil fuel. Why isn’t this being done?

Space/Weight/Costs

 

[rvb]

Space/Weight/Costs

I don’t think space and weight would be a problem in a pickup sized vehicle. Especially since there are gas / battery hybrids in sedan
sized vehicles now.

edit : if they can do it in this little trailer, they can fit it in a pickup truck (and most of the trailer is storage)
https://www.wired.com/2010/11/range-extending-trailer-charges-your-ev-carries-your-gear/

 

[Hawkeye]

I don’t think space and weight would be a problem in a pickup sized vehicle. Especially since there are gas / battery hybrids in sedan
sized vehicles now.

edit : if they can do it in this little trailer, they can fit it in a pickup truck (and most of the trailer is storage)
https://www.wired.com/2010/11/range-extending-trailer-charges-your-ev-carries-your-gear/

Now that is interesting. From Waukarusa, too. But the article is from 2010 and nothing seems to have come of it, so I'm guessing the idea did not pan out.

 

[Hawkeye]

Space/Weight/Costs

I'd say weight/ space then cost. Not to dissimilar in concept from hybrids, except most hybrids rely almost solely on the ICE at highway speed and the electric only at lower speeds. Also consider the target demographics and the "mission" of the EV company - not likely to be too much of an attraction to them.

 

[avboiler11]

First generation Chevy Volts are electric cars with a gas generator that provides extended range when necessary.

No reason this can't be applied to other vehicles.

 

[Hawkeye]

First generation Chevy Volts are electric cars with a gas generator that provides extended range when necessary.

No reason this can't be applied to other vehicles.

No reason except those mentioned above.

Has this been a particularly successful vehicle? Battery range is very limited, seems to be good only for short trips/commuting. How long does it take to recharge using the onboard generator?

 

[avboiler11]

No reason except those mentioned above.

Has this been a particularly successful vehicle? Battery range is very limited, seems to be good only for short trips/commuting. How long does it take to recharge using the onboard generator?

There wasn't much elaboration above, especially with regards to use in pickup trucks which offer a lot more real estate than a compact car.

Tesla is claiming their top end Cybertruck would have 500mi of unloaded range, which would take a large and heavy battery pack (and why the truck's GVWR is going to be in SD/HD and not half ton territory). Why not have a smaller battery pack, say something with 200-250mi unloaded range, and a small fuel generator with modest fuel tank to extend range, especially when under load?

Assuming a 100kWh battery pack provides 250mi unloaded range, that's 4-5 hours endurance. The Volt has a 1.4L gas generator rated for 55kW and an 8.9gal fuel tank. Now I'm not an electrical engineer, but I'd think a similar setup, even in a larger/heavier vehicle, would allow the torque and around-town benefits of an EV while mitigating their range compromises, especially under load.