Volvo to build electric semi trucks

[Eduard the weeb]

Original Article - https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/13/17234040/volvo-fl-electric-commercial-semi-trucks

 

 

Volvo is planning on releasing a Electric Semi truck similar to Tesla Called the FL-Electric 

 

Quote

The trucks can accommodate between two and six lithium-ion batteries with 100–300kWh, giving a range of up to 300 km (approximately 186 miles). It will be able to fast charge in one to two hours via DC or overnight with AC. Aside from green perks, Volvo says these trucks will also help companies be more efficient. They can be used in indoor terminals and environmental zones. Because the trucks are much quieter than their diesel counterparts, they can also theoretically be used at night in populated areas without bothering people.

 

 

The batteries are supposed to be made of recycled materials, and should be already entering operations in Gothenburg Sweden.

this isn't Volvo first attempt at and electric car like pointed out in the article, but in the semi business they are already against competition with Tesla's Semi supposed to enter the market next year, UPS and another company working on a mail delivery truck with a range of 100 Miles, however with Volvo entering this electric semi market also, I think it shows that the future of a Semi truck is an electric one.

[Eduard the weeb]

Off topic from the article, but that is the most Instagram worthy photo of a semi I have ever seen lol

[Crunchy Dragon]

They look better than Tesla's do.

 

GG

[Eduard the weeb]

Just now, Crunchy Dragon said:

They look better than Tesla's do.

 

GG

much shorter range though, telsa at 500 miles to 186 miles

[Crunchy Dragon]

Just now, Eduard the weeb said:

much shorter range though, telsa at 500 miles to 186 miles

Oof.

 

Hopefully they can extend that...

 

I still think nuclear powered cars would be cool.

[gnomik]

Just now, Eduard the weeb said:

much shorter range though, telsa at 500 miles to 186 miles

Tesla has 2 drawbacks.

1.its not volvo.

2.it looks like garbage.

[Taf the Ghost]

This is actually the big place for Electric Vehicles. That full torque at 0 RPMs will be so good for short haul trucks. If they have a net range of ~200km, they can probably run an entire local route for a day and recharge while be unloaded. 

 

This isn't one of those BS marketing hype "technology" demonstration pieces. These are actually a "really big deal", if they numbers work, as this is the type of workload electric vehicles are best suited for.

[Crunchy Dragon]

2 minutes ago, gnomik said:

2.it looks like garbage.

It actually looks like a Chevy minivan from the 80s or 90s

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

12 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

They look better than Tesla's do.

 

GG

It's what happens when electric and hybrid auto makers always try to make their vehicles not look like conventional vehicles. *cough cough* Toyota.

Spoiler

If it wasn't for the front and rear lamps, it would've looked alright. Oh wait that's basically the entire design aesthetic of the vehicle. 

 

[gnomik]

1 minute ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

It actually looks like a Chevy minivan from the 80s or 90s

It looks just like Lumina AVP

[silberdrachi]

6 minutes ago, Eduard the weeb said:

much shorter range though, telsa at 500 miles to 186 miles

It does sound like their intended market is more limited to in city or short out of city driving in Europe. Where as Tesla seems to intend their products to be used for larger leaps from large out of city facilities to in city distribution hubs, or city to city transit. Long distance shipping in Europe tends to be different than it does in America where we heavily rely on semis for shipping items long distance.

[gnomik]

Is there an actual spec sheet for the tesla semi? I cant find the battery capacity or motor power anywhere.Maybe tesla just bullshitting about its range

[Mihle]

19 minutes ago, gnomik said:

Tesla has 2 drawbacks.

1.its not volvo.

2.it looks like garbage.

3. It's much bigger

[xriqn]

Congrats, Tesla already did this last year or some crap.

 

[xriqn]

Just now, Mihle said:

3. It's much bigger

Bigger is better for transportation.

[Mihle]

2 minutes ago, xriqn said:

Bigger is better for transportation.

Tesla trucks are too big for Europe because of regulations. Bigger truck driver house means less cargo. Max lenght on them is much shorter in Europe than America.

 

There is a reason why all European trucks/lorries is flat nose.

[xriqn]

4 minutes ago, Mihle said:

Tesla trucks are too big for Europe because of regulations. Bigger truck driver house means less cargo. Max lenght on them is much shorter in Europe than America.

 

There is a reason why all European trucks/lorries is flat nose.

The EU is full of shit regulations like that.

[Mihle]

9 minutes ago, xriqn said:

The EU is full of shit regulations like that.

You call it shit, while it isn't. It's to prevent trucks/lorries to get stuck not getting around corners everywhere. Roads much tighter corners and more turns and stuff than in America and American truck wouldn't get far on European roads (if you it ignore like the biggest of the biggest)

 

EDIT: I mean really go over other lanes all the time.

[Taf the Ghost]

46 minutes ago, xriqn said:

The EU is full of shit regulations like that.

 

42 minutes ago, Mihle said:

You call it shit, while it isn't. It's to prevent trucks/lorries to get stuck not getting around corners everywhere. Roads much tighter corners and more turns and stuff than in America and American truck wouldn't get far on European roads (if you it ignore like the biggest of the biggest)

 

EDIT: I mean really go over other lanes all the time.

Poke around Google Maps in Europe to understand why. The British call Highways "Dual Carriageways" for a reason, and it isn't some cheeky understatement. 

[AlTech]

3 hours ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

Oof.

 

Hopefully they can extend that...

 

I still think nuclear powered cars would be cool.

I take it I'm one of those 3 people who actually liked the look of the Tesla Semi .

 

The volvo looks a tad generic imho.

[Guest The Viking]

4 hours ago, Eduard the weeb said:

much shorter range though, telsa at 500 miles to 186 miles

problem with tesla's design is the battery may take too much space, making it less interesting.

 

So sure, 500 miles, but if you can only transport 2/4 or 3/4 of the original load than your diesel counterpart, it's pretty much useless. 

[Blackie Sheen]

5 hours ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

It's what happens when electric and hybrid auto makers always try to make their vehicles not look like conventional vehicles. *cough cough* Toyota.

  Reveal hidden contents

If it wasn't for the front and rear lamps, it would've looked alright. Oh wait that's basically the entire design aesthetic of the vehicle. 

 

Well the prius, as much as the look of it is hated, it is extremely practical. It has one of the lowest drag coefficient ever to ever have on a car with a C_d of 0.24 which allows it to in the end be very energy efficient

[Blackie Sheen]

39 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

nuclear powered double decker bus ?

Terro... sorry Tourism

[TheMcSame]

5 hours ago, Eduard the weeb said:

much shorter range though, telsa at 500 miles to 186 miles

Neither are suited to much more than yard shunter work and local deliveries anyway. 

 

Let's not forget the rather large price tag on the Tesla Semi as well... Haulage companies will shell the money out for the bare minimum of what's needed. The Tesla isn't even going to be a question for most companies, the Volvo may well be much more affordable, as far as trucks go anyway, and thus a much more realistic option for haulage companies. 

5 hours ago, Taf the Ghost said:

This isn't one of those BS marketing hype "technology" demonstration pieces. These are actually a "really big deal", if they numbers work, as this is the type of workload electric vehicles are best suited for.

Definitely, though I can't help but wonder why Toyota hasn't tried to take a bite out of the HGV market, or in fact the electric market in general. Toyota has the means and the experience, they've been producing EVs for warehouses and whatnot since 1967.

1 minute ago, Blackie Sheen said:

Well the prius, as much as the look of it is hated, it is extremely practical. It has one of the lowest drag coefficient ever to ever have on a car with a C_d of 0.24 which allows it to in the end be very energy efficient

Energy efficient to an extent. Though like every other hybrid on the market, in the real world they can't match the efficiency of a diesel engine.

"But diesel fumes and NOX emissions" 

Two words; Shipping - Industry. If you care so much about NOX and sulphur, you should be on their case since shipping fuel is far more dirtier than road diesel.

[Guest The Viking]

5 hours ago, xriqn said:

The EU is full of shit regulations like that.

 

5 hours ago, Mihle said:

You call it shit, while it isn't. It's to prevent trucks/lorries to get stuck not getting around corners everywhere. Roads much tighter corners and more turns and stuff than in America and American truck wouldn't get far on European roads (if you it ignore like the biggest of the biggest)

 

EDIT: I mean really go over other lanes all the time.

 

https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/road/weights-and-dimensions_en

 

Quote

In Europe, heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches must comply with certain rules on weights and dimensions for road safety reasons and to avoid damaging roads, bridges and tunnels. Directive (EU) 2015/719 sets maximum dimensions and weights for international traffic, also ensuring that Member States cannot restrict the circulation of vehicles which comply with these limits from performing international transport operations within their territories. The Directive also aims at avoiding that national operators benefit from undue advantages over their competitors from other Member States when performing national transport.

 

Directive (EU) 2015/719 (which amends Directive 96/53/EC ) grants derogations on the maximal lengths to make heavy goods vehicles greener by improving their aerodynamic performance. This also provides the opportunity to make them safer by including new features in the extra space in the driver cabin. Derogations on weights are also allowed for vehicles powered by alternative fuels.

 

This directive has an important role in improving the functioning of the internal market and in ensuring the free movement of goods in Europe.