The Environmental Impact of Different Forms of Shipping
February 16, 2018
When to Disassemble an Item for International Shipping
February 20, 2018An Electric Semi Truck May Be On the Way
There may be a new way of shipping by truck on the horizon. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, just unveiled his first two electric semi trucks. Medium and heavy duty trucks account for a good amount of greenhouse gas emission – approximately 23-percent of all transportation emissions. It’s not as much as the amount created by cars, but it’s still a number that can be cut down.
Enter Musk’s electric semi truck. While it’s not yet in full production, Musk’s entry into a soon-to-be-competitive market had a positive reception at the unveiling.
The Stats
The truck that Musk put forward can actually climb faster than diesel trucks. A 5-percent grade slows diesel trucks to 45 mph. That’s still good for such a large vehicle, but Musk claims his electric semi can reach 65 mph.
It’s got a maximum gross vehicle weight of 80,000 lbs., so it can haul. It will have a 500 mile range before needing to be recharged. This means that diesel trucks for long hauls won’t be going anywhere soon. Yet for briefer hauls, the truck can save a lot of energy. Perhaps more importantly, it can charge up to 400 miles in a space of 30 minutes.
Power & Safety
While it’s true that electric vehicles still draw power in order to be charged, the footprint of this power draw is far less than the amount of gas or diesel used by similar vehicles. In addition, you can charge more slowly when you’re letting a vehicle sit overnight or for a few hours, further decreasing the footprint.
Safety is also a big concern in Musk’s prototype trucks. They’ll have automatic emergency braking, lane keeping, and forward collision warning. If it senses you driving erratically, it will slow down and prompt you to respond to it. If you don’t, it will gradually brake and call emergency services for you.
The industry won’t be employing these heavily too soon, but it is an indication of the direction shipping by truck will go. It’s good to know that the transportation industry we’re proud to be a part of will continue making strides toward greener forms of shipping.