Electric truck

An electric truck is a truck powered by electricity.

For information on trucks using a combination of internal combustion engines and electric propulsion, see Hybrid electric truck.

Types

General Trucks

In 2011, GGT Electric, an automotive engineering, design and manufacturing company[1] based in Milford, Michigan, introduced a new line of all electric trucks for sale. GGT has developed LSV zero-emission electric vehicles for fleet markets, municipalities, universities, and state and federal government. The company offers 4-door electric pick-up trucks,[2] electric passenger vans, and flatbed electric trucks with tilt and dump capability.[3]

In 2012, Motiv Power Systems announced its electric powertrain control system (ePCS) could be scaled to power any type of truck, from shuttle buses and Class-A school buses, to work trucks, box trucks, and even 52,000lb garbage trucks. The Motiv kit can used with almost any new truck maker’s chassis or for an older truck retrofit. Motiv collaborates with existing truck manufacturers to allow them to sell electric options to their existing customers.

Pickup trucks

In early 2009, Phoenix Motorcars introduced a test fleet of their all-electric SUT (Sports Utility Truck) to Maui. One of the surviving electric vehicles from the late 1990s is the Chevy S-10 electric pickup truck. Many other vehicles from this era, such as the General Motors EV1 were recalled and destroyed. A newcomer is the Miles Electric Vehicles ZX40ST electric truck now available in the United States. Miles Electric Vehicles is based in Santa Monica, California.[4]

The Big Bike Company Limited, in Gloucestershire, England, is now offering fully electric pick up trucks for sale. Powered by an impressive bank of batteries, these small utility vehicles are able to deliver a payload of approximately 500 kg, and have a range of up to 80 miles (130 km). Using a 3 wheel configuration, the rolling and aerodynamic drag is reduced. As a tricycle it can also be driven on a motorcycle licence.

Semi-trailer and tractor trucks

Nissan 2012 electric truck concept

The Port of Los Angeles and South Coast Air Quality Management District have demonstrated a short-range heavy-duty all electric truck capable of hauling a fully loaded 40-foot (12 m) cargo container. The current design is capable of pulling a 60,000 lb (27 t) cargo container at speeds up to 10 mph (16 km/h) and has a range of between 30 and 60 miles (48 and 97 km). It uses 2 kilowatt-hours per mile (1.2 kW·h/km; 4.5 MJ/km), compared to 5 miles per US gallon (47 L/100 km; 6.0 mpg-imp) for the hostler semi tractors it replaces.[5]

Electric tractors

Electric tractors have been built since the 1990s.[6][7][8]

Milk float

A Dairy Crest Smith's Elizabethan milk float

A common example of the battery electric trucks is the milk float. Since it makes many stops in delivering milk it is more practical to use an electric vehicle than a combustion truck, which would be idling much of the time; it also reduces noise in residential areas. For most of the 20th century, the majority of the world's battery electric road vehicles were British milk floats.[9]


Garbage truck

With a similar driving pattern of a delivery vehicle like the milk float above, garbage trucks are excellent candidates for electric drive. Most of their time is spent stopping, starting or idling. These activities are where internal combustion engines are their least efficient. In preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games, 3,000 of the internal combustion engine garbage trucks in Beijing were replaced with lithium ion polymer battery pack electric drive trucks.[10] The batteries were procured for about $3,300 each.[11] In France, some all-electric garbage trucks produced by Power Vehicle Innovation have been operating since 2011 in the city of Courbevoie, the first local authorities in France to acquired them.[12]

In 2014, North America became home to its own electric garbage truck. Called the ERV (electric refuse vehicle) it hit the road in Chicago in September of 2014. It was the first of an up to $13.4 million purchase order for up to 20 trucks. The PO was won in a competitive bid by Motiv Power Systems in 2012. The majority of the money used to purchase the first truck came from a DoE grant secured by then-Senator Barack Obama. The City of Chicago runs the Motiv ERV on different residential refuse and recycling routes of up to 60 miles, saving 2,688 gallons a year.

The 1st all-electric refuse truck in the United States built for the City of Chicago

Chicago specified that this ERV must meet the demanding requirements placed on all of its garbage trucks. This included 60 mile range, a payload capacity of nine tons and 1000 pounds per cubic yard of compaction. These specifications make the ERV capable of use anywhere in Chicago. To supply enough electricity to move the truck and power the hydraulics all day, the ERV is equipped with 200 kilowatt-hours of energy, in ten battery packs. Full charge time is 8 hours using the Motiv Universal Fast Charger.

Wrightspeed provides electric powertrain for garbage trucks and other medium-duty trucks.

Off-Road & Mining truck

In 2011, PapaBravo Innovations, an electric vehicle design, manufacturing and engineering company based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada introduced a full line of heavy-duty underground mining trucks. These off-road 4x4 trucks are the first of their kind; a one-ton platform with full-time 4-wheel-drive capability. They have been designed specifically for "soft-rock" underground mining industries. The line of electric trucks ranges from 1/4-ton utility vehicles to 1-ton trucks and a 12-passenger personnel transport vehicle.

Newton

Launched in 2006, the Newton electric truck is an all electric commercial vehicle from Smith Electric Vehicles. The Newton comes in three GVW configurations: 7,500 pounds (3,400 kg), 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) and 12,000 pounds (5,400 kg). Each is available in short, medium or long wheelbase.

Smith Newton electric truck

The truck was launched with a 120 kilowatt electric induction motor from Enova Systems, driven by Lithium-Ion Iron Phosphate batteries supplied by Valence Technology. In 2012 Smith re-released the Newton with new driveline and battery systems that were developed inhouse. Smith offers the battery pack in either 80kWh or 120kWh configurations.

Newton was named Green Commercial of the Year in the electric vehicle section of Fleet Transport magazine’s Irish Truck of the Year Awards 2010, sponsored by Castrol.[13]

As of October 2012, the Newton is sold worldwide and available with three different payload capacities from 6,100 to 16,200 lb (2,800 to 7,300 kg).[14] The lithium-ion battery pack is available in varying sizes that deliver a range from 55 to 110 mi (89 to 177 km) and a top speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jim Motavalli, Jim. "Starting an EV Company with 10 People, $5 Million and Chinese Suppliers". BNet.com. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
  2. ↑ "GGT Electric E-Dyne 4-Door Cab Crew Truck". GGT Electric. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  3. ↑ "GGT Electric Scout Hybrid Trucks". GGT Electric. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  4. ↑ David Levine (June 17, 2009). "Creating a Buzz; A Sullivan County firm leads the way by selling alternative-power cars and trucks". Hudson Valley. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  5. ↑ Theresa Adams Lopez (2008). "Electric Truck Demonstration Project Fact Sheet" (PDF). Port of Los Angeles. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
  6. ↑ "Electric tractors". Renewables.com. 2009-06-08. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  7. ↑ Steve Heckeroth's tractors
  8. ↑ "Yanmar tractor conversion". Evalbum.com. 2005-12-30. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  9. ↑ "Escaping Lock-in: the Case of the Electric Vehicle". Cgl.uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  10. ↑ "Electric Drive Garbage Trucks in Beijing". Jcwinnie.biz. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  11. ↑ "Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. Signs Contract to Supply PLI Battery Cells for Electric Sanitation Trucks for 2008 Olympics". Marketwire.com. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  12. ↑ Sage, Alexandria (2011-05-05). "All-electric garbage trucks to sweep French streets". Reuters.
  13. ↑ "Smith Electric Vehicles - News". Smithelectricvehicles.com. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  14. ↑ Smith Electric Vehicles. "SMITH VEHICLES - Models and Configurations". Smith Electric. Retrieved 2012-10-08.

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