Originally posted by savoche Yes, I know. Here the charging infrastructure is getting good enough for the existing cars to be usable - and we think of 500km as a long distance
Out here (Canadian prairies) 500 km is not a long distance. Also on the Canadian prairies our winters can be very cold...periods of -30 and colder are not uncommon. Towns can be fairly far apart and this is of concern, because EV charging is not likely to be in the middle of nowhere, it is likely to be in towns, cities. EV's use their motive power...batteries...not just for moving the vehicle and cargo, but also to heat the vehicle cabin. Battery power is significantly affected by extreme cold...range can plunge significantly.
I just returned from a 700 mile/1100 km trip across some of the western Canadian prairies. Saw one EV (Tesla) but it was only about 15 kms outside a city. No idea where his destination was going to be. We drove (I was the driver) the 1100 kms...started at 7;30 am, finished at 8:30 pm. Stopped for gas three times. Took about 5 minutes to top up and then on the road again.
We've done this trip in January and that trip was a run to try to beat a surprise and looming blizzard (we did) that immobilized vehicles for a couple of days till the heavy snow was plowed. The temps were -33 to -35 . the heater/defroster was on full and our gas engine (DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, 3.6 liter V6) got very good gas mpg and the distance range wasn't affected by the extreme cold. I don't think an EV would of been able to handle these conditions. And I for one would not want to be stuck out on the side of the road , in the cold with a non functioning EV.
Towns are very long distances out here, there are no passenger trains, just freight, there are no highway buses...Greyhound pulled out a few years ago...our public transportation are our personal vehicles.
EVs are more popular in larger urban centers with moderate climates like Toronto and Vancouver for people who don't drive much in the country. Unfortunately in Canada, much of the decision making is in large urban centers, not so much in more sparsely populated ...fly over...areas like the prairies.
Then there is northern Canada and those winters are colder and longer .
I think that a better type of motive power for areas like many parts of Canada...other than large cities with moderate climates...would be a hybrid. Perhaps electric with internal combustion or hydrogen / electric...or possibly just hydrogen fuel cell.
---------- Post added 07-29-20 at 10:17 AM ----------
Originally posted by MarkJerling Almost all trucks here and in Europe are Cab-Over. It's because of our length of truck rules which means a truck with a long nose wastes valuable cargo space.
Quite a few of these running around here by us. The cab is much taller than most other cab over truck designs. The driver sits high!
Real modern inside too.
Quite a few years ago in North America we had a lot more COE's and for the same reason as you do...regulations regarding the total length of both truck and trailer. The rules changed and conventional long nose trucks have taken over.
I've always felt that the COE design is very good for city delivery trucks that go down a lot of tight streets/ lanes to make their deliveries. For years a local brewing business used a '50's White 3000 COE to deliver beer to pubs.
white 3000 - Google Search
---------- Post added 07-29-20 at 10:18 AM ----------
Originally posted by Racer X 69 The first truck, the blue Volvo, had a 15 liter Cummins ISX, rated at 550 horsepower, with a Fuller Roadranger 13 speed.
The last truck, Monstro, had a later 15 liter Cummins ISX, rated at 530 horsepower, also with a 13 speed.
The Pete 379 had a 15 liter Acert Cat (the last engine produced by Caterpillar for over the road trucks), with the Super 10 transmission. I don't recall the horsepower rating, but it can out quite well.
Any manual box suitable for the power train combination, including rear axles with a decent gear ratio. I really liked the trucks equipped with the Fuller Roadranger 18 speed, which works well when pulling heavy loads.
Thx for the info. You had some nice equipment at your disposal.