New truck manufacturer Nicola!!!

Looking at a few things here:

1) It's a cabover
2) Look at the natural gas tank at the back of the cab, it's HUGE!
3) Looks like cooling just behind the lower step
4) No jockey box? Do they need that room for some of their junk?
5) CNG has very low energy density
6) The front axle is also driven, but is 14k. This presents jurisdictional issues.
7) Battery pack is quite large, enough to produce ~400 hp for an hour straight

 

Also you think engine rebuilds are expensive now....

 

yesterday i saw made in 70 CNG truck by ZIL towing 40' refer.

Huge CNG tanks and no sleeper

Ok, about this Tesla. Seems to me it would be cool to use it with e-highway

 

Hey! It is new technology, it wont break.

 

Why not put solarpanels on the roof off trailer,save gas.

 

Because the electrical connection would be sporadic, at best. However, it might be worth installing flex panels on the cab, but that may not generate enough juice to make it worth it. Otherwise, cars would come with solar roofs, and smaller batteries.

 

Because the power provided is so small compared to overall power needs

 

They are claiming 2.3 Billion in pre sales so far.
That's a pretty good start.

http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/new-ev-company-claims-to-have-2-3-billion-in-pre-order-1781909567

 

Only logical way for class 8 trucks imo to move foward is the same setup as diesel/electric locomotives. Electric 1800-2200 tq motors between drives and a small diesil or gas engine in the front to power them

 

I'd be curious to see how that would work out. In theory, one would think it would be slightly less efficient than direct drive as you'll have loss of energy through changing the engine's rotational energy into electrical energy in the generator, then back into rotational energy at the motors. But on the plus side, constant engine RPMs could potentially increase fuel efficiency. With the right components you could also have dynamic braking to help slow everything down as a jake brake would no longer be useable.