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@BillGates shares my vision on electric transportation, except for a significant detail: large trucks.
Let me explain in a few tweets why I think the idea that most big trucks cannot be electrified is a myth. https://www.gatesnotes.com/Energy/Moving-around-in-a-zero-carbon-world
Let me explain in a few tweets why I think the idea that most big trucks cannot be electrified is a myth. https://www.gatesnotes.com/Energy/Moving-around-in-a-zero-carbon-world
Our study of heavy trucks around Rotterdam shows >80% travel 500-800 km a day and then return to base.
https://www.portofrotterdam.com/sites/default/files/e-trucks-elektrisch-containervervoer-vanuit-de-rotterdamse-haven.pdf (Dutch, sorry.)
With tech expected within 5 years (e.g. by @elonmusk) we will get cells of 2.5 kg/kWh => packs of ~3.5 kg/kWh.
https://www.portofrotterdam.com/sites/default/files/e-trucks-elektrisch-containervervoer-vanuit-de-rotterdamse-haven.pdf (Dutch, sorry.)
With tech expected within 5 years (e.g. by @elonmusk) we will get cells of 2.5 kg/kWh => packs of ~3.5 kg/kWh.
A 800 km range requires a battery of around 1 MWh.
Granted, that's a BIG battery and it will weight 1000 * 3.5 = 3500 kg.
But if you redesign a truck from the ground up to be electric it will also weight around 3500 kg less. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332780799_Evaluation_of_the_state-of-the-art_of_full-electric_medium_and_heavy-duty_trucks
Granted, that's a BIG battery and it will weight 1000 * 3.5 = 3500 kg.
But if you redesign a truck from the ground up to be electric it will also weight around 3500 kg less. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332780799_Evaluation_of_the_state-of-the-art_of_full-electric_medium_and_heavy-duty_trucks
Apart from that the EU has a weight allowance of 2 000 kg extra and most freight is volume constrained not weight constrained.
Thus we can really say that most trucks can be electrified without limiting usefulness, if a redesigned electric truck comes along.
Thus we can really say that most trucks can be electrified without limiting usefulness, if a redesigned electric truck comes along.
Now the best part is that the expensive battery pays itself back faster if you use it more often. And big trucks travel more than 50% of their maximum needed range, every working day. That means they cycle their battery much more often than passenger vehicles.
This means that an electric truck earns back its battery cost much faster than an electric car. And the electric car is already on its way to have a lower total cost of ownership before 2025.
Charging can be done overnight if the range is 800 km but some fast chargers are nice.
Charging can be done overnight if the range is 800 km but some fast chargers are nice.
Of course solutions like an overhead power line have an even better business case but that's a different can of worms.
And hydrogen-electric is great if you have lots of space to store it and want to drive long distances with the need to recharge quickly (=not often).
And hydrogen-electric is great if you have lots of space to store it and want to drive long distances with the need to recharge quickly (=not often).
So dear @BillGates, please consider what I wrote and maybe you can entertain the notion that electric 18 wheelers are not only possible but also logical.
Because the myth that this is somehow impossible is holding back the transition to electric transport.
Because the myth that this is somehow impossible is holding back the transition to electric transport.
