All-electric utes on the radar for tradies

[wj957]

I haven't seen an electric/battery powered semi, B-double or even a small Pantech yet.
One mining company claims to be going electric with their giant dump trucks, but they don't stray far from base ................ at a speed of about 40 kph.

18 wheeler doing 1,000km overnight Sydney-Brisbane? I don't think so, cars are no where near that yet.
And the payload would be seriously diminished to allow for the tonnage of batteries on board.
Re-charging? I dunno, maybe 12 hours.

Before this post goes ballistic I would suggest we leave sex, politics and religion out, of all things Isuzu.

In closing, I would like to say ............... batteries are gay!

[Munro]

John Cadogan has done a couple of very well-reasoned bits on this exact aspect of the EV truck debate.  Highlights include the hobbled payloads such vehicles would have due to the massive battery packs required, the eyewateringly expensive and power hungry nature of a charger network that would come close to keeping such a fleet moving across our land, and increased numbers of drivers required due to the sheer number of hours added to shifts by charging wait times, to name a few.

To quote him loosely, EV tech doesn't scale well for that application, and that's before you consider manpower obstacles.  Apart from the above at least, you're all set... providing you can get a hold of enough minerals to build a profitable fleet and swap out the aging, constantly-cycling batteries. 

Sometimes you just gotta shake your head.

[guyfromaus]

HEAT
when we work our vehicles hard -eg towing we use auto trans coolers to dissipate heat.
with electric vehicles working hard there is going to be heat issues also- how do we cool that?
there is a lot of heat generated on charging batteries  particularly on fast charge (and high discharge also).
heat and electricity go hand in hand but are also enemies!

[CirLott]

John Cadogan has done a couple of very well-reasoned bits on this exact aspect of the EV truck debate.  Highlights include the hobbled payloads such vehicles would have due to the massive battery packs required, the eyewateringly expensive and power hungry nature of a charger network that would come close to keeping such a fleet moving across our land, and increased numbers of drivers required due to the sheer number of hours added to shifts by charging wait times, to name a few.

To quote him loosely, EV tech doesn't scale well for that application, and that's before you consider manpower obstacles.  Apart from the above at least, you're all set... providing you can get a hold of enough minerals to build a profitable fleet and swap out the aging, constantly-cycling batteries. 

Sometimes you just gotta shake your head.

The battery packs must be very big. Very big. The efficiency of such a truck will not be very high, so there will be increased costs. And this will all affect the cost of other products. No, electric trucks are not going to become popular anytime soon. Unless a very energy efficient battery is invented.

[Munro]

...unless a very energy efficient battery is invented.

Yes, as usual battery tech is the weak point of the whole equation.  Don't get me wrong, I love the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow; who wouldn't want an electric vehicle that can replace an equivalent diesel without the current swathe of compromises?  But "compromise" (whether it be price, range, capability, durability, or all of the above) is the big sticking point... as it has always been with EV technology. 

Batteries simply aren't up to the job on many fronts, and it's a pity.

[CirLott]

...unless a very energy efficient battery is invented.

Yes, as usual battery tech is the weak point of the whole equation.  Don't get me wrong, I love the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow; who wouldn't want an electric vehicle that can replace an equivalent diesel without the current swathe of compromises?  But "compromise" (whether it be price, range, capability, durability, or all of the above) is the big sticking point... as it has always been with EV technology. 

Batteries simply aren't up to the job on many fronts, and it's a pity.

It will probably stay that way until another power cell is invented.
Maybe they will invent some kind of solar panels that will charge the electric car while driving. Who knows? I'm just dreaming

[Munro]

There are already some vehicles out there with roof integrated solar... but in terms of charging the primary battery pack, the output is hopelessly inadequate, as you'd expect.

Bandt's answer seems to be "put solar everywhere" which would be a great idea... if we had unlimited air and water to pollute along the way...