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Source : The environment in France
The advantages of electric trucks
Another factor that will encourage manufacturers to produce more and more electric trucks is noise pollution. Electric vehicles are particularly quiet compared with their combustion engine counterparts. Compared with combustion engines, they have fewer moving parts, which move in a uniform manner, allowing them to travel almost silently in all circumstances. This gain in silence will benefit drivers, who were unable to travel in certain areas with combustion-powered lorries, which produced too much noise pollution for certain urban areas.
Electric trucks: the big manufacturers are getting in on the act
This is why more and more manufacturers are moving towards electric heavy goods vehicles, such as Mercedes, Tesla or even Renault.
There are also many technological advances that make their appearance to facilitate the development of electric trucks. This is demonstrated by the record set by Swiss manufacturer Futuricum, which drove its truck 1,099 kilometres in 23 hours without recharging. We can only hope that other manufacturers will emulate these results, so that the system can be deployed more widely.
These will benefit as many people as possible, making the transition easier and eliminating dependence on combustion-powered lorries.
There are also plans to install fast-charging stations to make long journeys easier for drivers. Brands such as Volvo Group, Daimler Truck and Traton have already signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a network in Europe.
The best electric trucks on the market in 2023
Logistics 18E
Now that we've mentioned all the advances that have been made to encourage the introduction of electric trucks on the market, we can tackle the models that are already available, or that will be arriving soon.
As we mentioned in the introduction, with a record 1,099 kilometres ofautonomy achieved in 23 hours, the Logistics 18E deserves to have its own paragraph for its fine performance. This combination of power, ecology and profitability is a little gem from Swiss manufacturer Futuricum.
It has four engines delivering a total of 680 horsepower. A practical feature of the Logistics18E is that the vehicle's batteries can be reused as stationary batteries or recycled.
The Logistics 18E is limited to 86 km/h due to electrical constraints.
It can be recharged using a type 2 350kW CCS system in just 1 hour and 42 minutes. In real-life conditions, less optimal than those used for the range record, the Logistics 18E can go on for up to 500 km.
Its total weight is 19 tonnes.
Renault Trucks D Wide Z.E
Concerning the Renault Trucks D Wide Z.E, it is designed primarily for the urban environment, and facilitates the collection of waste in this environment. This vehicle therefore provides access to low-emission zones (EPZ) and restricted traffic zones.
It offers a payload of up to 11 tonnes, a significant reduction in overall weight when used in urban traffic, as is its purpose.
It has a battery made in lithium ion with a capacity of 200 kWh, giving it a range of up to 200 km. On the plus side, it is compatible with fast charging and has a 22kW on-board charger.
It has just 2 electric motors with a maximum power output of 500 hp, which is more than enough for its purpose.
Tesla Semi
It's time to tackle the big one, the star of this article, the famous Tesla Semi.
As is often the case with Tesla, these models are always eagerly awaited. Tesla is used to generating a lot of excitement among electric vehicle fans. Before going into the technical details, it's worth noting that this vehicle has been something of a victim of its own success, first presented in 2017, the Tesla SemiIt was due to go into production in 2019 and be delivered to customers by 2020. Unfortunately, due to the events we are all familiar with - pandemic, health crisis and so on - production has been greatly delayed until 2021, and deliveries should begin over the same period.
Tesla has set itself a production rate of 5 assembled trucks per week, the first of which will be used to ensure their own deliveries, and yes, sometimes you have to have fun with your own toys. A number of large companies had already placed orders, but those who ordered their units relatively late will have to be patient, they have been warned. Between the 100 electric lorries ordered by Pepsi and the 50 lorries from Sysco, things are going to have to get moving at the Gigafactory in Nevada, the plant responsible for assembling the vehicles.
Now we can talk about what's under the bonnet. The Tesla Semi is defined aslhe safest truck"and the most "comfortable never seen before".
With four independent motors providing acceleration and maximum power, Tesla's electric truck accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 25 seconds, which is not bad for a 36-tonne truck that runs on electric power. Depending on the model, the Tesla Semi can have a range of between 475 and 800 kilometres, an excellent range for a truck of this size. It's perfect for travelling long distances without the need for combustion engines.
As you might have guessed, the Tesla Semi is not cheap. You can find it at a sticker price of 190,000 $ if you want the one with a range of 475km, and 230,000$ for the one that promises a range of 800 kilometres. It has also been described as "the safest truck ever". In fact, it has an improved autopilot system that helps avoid collisions. It allows the driver to relax slightly, but it is specified that he or she must remain vigilant and capable of taking control if necessary. It also boasts the lowest cost of ownership. In fact, with fewer systems to maintain, it offers over 200,000 $ in fuel savings and a two-year payback period.
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Mercedes Eactros
This summer the automotive giant, Mercedeshas announced its first electric 100% truck.
Mercedes announced last June the eActros and its promised 400km range. Inspired by the Actros, the eActros is a 3-axle electric truck designed for heavy collection and distribution traffic.
The conventional powertrain has been replaced by an electrically driven rear axle with electric motors. The new axle was derived from the electric axle on the hybrid bus. Mercedes-Benz Citaro. Power is supplied by a battery pack comprising three lithium-ion battery modules. The result is a range of 200km.
Mercedes has made it very easy to recharge the eActros with a standardised charging system. With a charging power of 160 kW, it takes just over an hour to go from 20 to 80 % with three batteries, or 1? hours with four batteries, before you can get back on the road. The charging time also depends on a number of external factors. Like the Tesla Semi, the eActros is equipped with a number of driving assistance systems to make life easier for its driver.
These include:
- the anti-drowsy system for very early morning or very late evening journeys
- direction change assistant
- The driver's cab is also equipped with a fire detector and an alarm system to warn the driver in the event of an emergency.
The Mercedes eActros still has a number of advantages, such as noise emissions of just 60 decibels, which means it can be used for night-time deliveries under certain conditions, and the emission-based bans on city traffic do not apply to it because of its engine.
Freightliner eCascadia
The eCascadia, Freightliner's electric truck, is due to hit the market in 2023. Freightliner has announced that it will go into production in 2022 and should therefore be on the market as early as next year, during 2023. The American firm, which is familiar with HGVs and sells and runs its products mainly in North America, is making a big splash with its new product.
The eCascadia offers up to 500 horsepower. It can be powered by Tandem and Precision Axle. the companyIt has the flexibility and power to tackle a wide range of roads, with varying degrees of difficulty. It has a usable capacity of 475 kWh, enough to cover a distance of 400 km. To recharge it to 80%, which is the optimum recharging level, you'll need around 90 minutes, which is acceptable compared with current offers on the market. What's really surprising about this model is its weight: the eCascadia is very close to 40 tonnes.
All in all, this model is a safe bet, suitable for a large number of uses that you'd expect of a heavy goods vehicle, whether for city driving or long motorway journeys, it will adapt quite easily. Not what you'd expect from a product from the biggest HGV manufacturer in the USA.
Electric trucks: what does the future hold?
As we can see, the electric truck market is still in its infancy, with many electric vehicles appearing with a wide range of technologies, which is rather promising for the future. There are already some very attractive models on the market, such as the Tesla Semipresented earlier, as well as the Mercedes eActroswhich are little technological gems. Obviously, the further we go, the more the quality of the product will tend to improve. For that to happen, demand will also have to match supply, and there's not much to worry about here, since we've already seen a good number of orders for the new models, particularly for the Tesla Semi once again a victim of its own success, as mentioned earlier. But there's no doubt that production will keep pace with the large number of orders coming in.
In France, for example, the future is already here. Engie (formerly SUEZ) and Renault have already formed a partnership to ensure that waste collection in the Paris region is carried out using electric lorries, so as to avoid any CO2 emissions. The SUEZ Group has set itself the target of reducing its direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by more than 45 % by 2010. 2030.
How much does an electric truck cost?
The price of an electric truck depends on a number of factors. We can only give a price range: from 50,000 euros, which is the price of the Renault Truck200,000 for the ET One from Thor trucks, for example.
Finally, the price of your electric truck will vary according to what you intend to do with it. The Tesla Semi and its estimated 800 km range, are bound to cost you more than the Renault Trucks with its meagre 200 km range, but which will nonetheless be more than adequate for city use, as mentioned above. Indeed, paying over $180,000 for the Tesla Semi and 800 km of range for city use would be a bit of a waste, as its potential would be so limited.
To find out more:
Read also: How can we meet the challenges of energy transition and sustainable mobility in the regions?
