Powered Converter Dolly?

Bottom line.. the Tesla truck says it uses 2kwh per mile. That nation wide average for electricity is $.12/kwh. or $.24 a mile. A truck running 8mpg at the nationwide current average of 2.45 a gallon is using $.31 an hour.. so nowhere near 50%. Considering your device is going to be nowhere near as efficient as a Tesla truck, it will likely have no savings. Then there all the engineering and law issues pointed out above.

 

Keep in mind that if the same batteries are used that are in trucks or forklifts they will have to be anti theft proof. The first time someone leaves one of those units parked unattended the batteries will be “borrowed” leaving it useless.

 

Ever see those tractor/trailer rigs turned over in the ditch, and the trailer was empty?

 

You just employed a double negative.

Theft proof would mean that they could not be stolen, but anti theft proof means just the opposite.

 

Ha. Slap me. Silly!

But they have to be anti theft proof to be able to “borrow” them right? Lol.

Call me “professor tandem”

 

The ISTEA "Freeze" is the first blocker due to weight and length restrictions.

A simple change to that legislation to allow turnpike doubles nationwide would allow for a 21% improvement in fuel mileage on average with a whopping 39% improvement for volume limited shippers. Even a weight limited shipper would see a 15% improvement in mileage.

Turnpike doubles are longer and heavier, but are safer and are actually less road-wearing.

Despite this being known for a long time it has so far been impossible to change the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, which banned states from changing laws to allow the use of longer combination vehicles on the federal highway system.

Your idea would still require changes to the ISTEA freeze.

That doesn't even include the difficulty of having a powered unit behind a fifth-wheel, losses in battery charging and the required infrastructure and interconnection for control.

 

This SuperHandy electric trailer dolly is impressive. Tons of torque. I was able to maneuver a Ski Nautique 226 with a dual axle trailer about an inch away from the wall in the garage; maybe a little over its weight limit. Ease into and then pick up speed. I did try to push it up a steep driveway, surprised how far it did make it before the traction broke and it just spun the tire; when it broke free it was way past its rating.

 

Safety is another strong suit of this electric trailer dolly. It has overload protection that shuts down the motor when there is electrical overloading. It protects not just the dolly but even the operator. Moreover, it has a 24-inch-wide base, which ensures stability. This wide base prevents the dolly from flipping when moving a hefty load.

 

This was tried back in the 60s but with diesel

Truck History: Freightliner Power Dolly – A Helper Engine On A Second Semi Trailer

 

A better idea, for an electric drive tractor, would be a central electric drive motor into either a single or tandem drive.

Batteries on board in place of engine and fuel and a trailer nose gen set.

Fuel mileage up the wazoo; no need for a charging network just use the existing fuel providers.

When they finally perfect Robo-Driver; they could ressurect the 50's concept 'cab under' and make the trailer longer...

Mega fleet bean counters would drool over a 65' trailer that doesn't bust current length laws....The future 'electric highway' needed for 100% driver-less operations of all vehcles would need to be hardwired into the customers so Robo D could back into the correct door in one shot. Despite all the hype, I doubt most of us will ever see this. Maybe our grandkids.