I work for an engineering company… in IT, but I still hear about engineer news as a result. If what’s been said around the office is true, hydrogen makes more sense for electric trucks, even though it doesn’t make sense for cars. Sadly I forget the reasoning. Something about energy density vs the size of the vehicle. I’d be interested to know how it compares to diesel.
And before you bring it up, the problem with generating hydrogen was definitely brought up, particularly how inefficient that part currently is and the fact the energy from it often comes from fossil fuels. I know new, more efficient techniques are being trialed, but beyond that we need to invest more in green energy.
38fhh2f8th5819c7@lemm.ee 9 months ago
The thing is, electric motors are so efficient that even hauling the mass of the batteries they are still more efficient than old fashioned internal combustion engines.
Prandom_returns@lemm.ee 9 months ago
Nah. Diesel engine’s efficiency is ~40%, Electric Motor’s ~75%. Since you’re hauling batteries, you haul less cargo, which means you need more trucks, more trips, more drivers, more charging time, etc.
abhibeckert@beehaw.org 9 months ago
Truck drivers in Australia are banned from driving more than 5.5 hours at a time. There are already dedicated places to stop and park a large truck every 5 hours or so on every single highway.
A truck that can drive five hours on a charge doesn’t need that big of a battery, and I expect where we’ll end up is drivers will, when they stop for their mandatory rest, disconnect the trailer, hook the truck up to charging infrastructure, then connect the trailer to a fresh truck with a fully charged battery.
The charging infrastructure would likely be optimised for price, not speed, which in Australia means charging with solar power. Australia already has more solar than anywhere else in the world and we are bringing on new solar power every day at a rapid pace. It’s vastly cheaper than diesel.
Prandom_returns@lemm.ee 9 months ago
Well, you’re listing all these things that will happen in the future, seemingly disregarding any other potential advancements in alternative fuels.
Infrastructure, dead batteries, overhauled shipping processes… It’s a lot of change (read: money) for a rather small improvement.
So far, it seems that trucks and batteries simply do not mix. What will happen ‘next year TM’, we’ll see. Right now I am skeptical.
unionagainstdhmo@aussie.zone 9 months ago
Charging time could be averted by having swappable batteries, perhaps like the swap 'n go gas bottles used for homes. Except, obviously paying a bit on top for the wear of the battery.
bandario@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 months ago
It could grip it by the husk!
Prandom_returns@lemm.ee 9 months ago
Full self driving next year, surely.