Look at the logo for this sub, then look at the tree. Coincidence?

They are amazing.

These fuckers. Anti-birth control, but also anti-taking care of little kids born because of no birth control. … and no need to reconcile that bullshit.

Very cool. Feels like home

Mipsi?

Ya’ don’t want the moose pox!! 😉

In the states, Class 8 semi tractors are dominated by 4 big manufacturers with Freightliner having the dominant market share.

I know it may seem like a strange analogy, but think about energy for your BBQ grill. When I need more, I take my tank to a convenience store and swap it for a full tank. I don’t care who had that tank before, just that it has a full charge. The BBQ grill industry with many manufacturers (or an agency) determined a standard fitting so that they are fully interchangeable.

You could do similar w batteries. For instance, Freightliner could partner w Pilot Truck Stops and set up battery swaps. They would ensure that the batteries meet specs and condition requirements and you’d pay for the charge.

One of our convenience store chains in the Midwest sells gas, diesel, cng, LNG, electricity, etc. Their stated mission is that they sell energy. Truck stops could do the same.

I think that this is interesting. Probably not practical for long distances, but it could help reduce heavy battery draw while climbing steep grades.

https://youtu.be/_3P_S7pL7Yg

I’ve worked for a very large trucking company for 25 years. I’m very aware. Current range is about 200 miles. That’s about 4 hrs for an OTR driver. What do you do for the rest of his 11 hour shift? Sit him while the truck recharges or swap batteries and go?

Totally agree on downtime for recharging. Same issue for over the road semi tractors. Seems like both could be solved with cartridge-style batteries that could be swapped. The truck keeps going while the spare battery is on the charger. Similar to what is done in 24x7 warehouses with electric forklifts. Sure, it’s a different scale, but the same process.

Makes sense. It doesn’t travel far from the charger and massive battery weight isn’t a problem since it only operates off-road.

If you download the free “All Trails” app, you can put in a location and it will show you nearby trails. It ranks them by difficulty, shows the elevation change and any special features. Pretty helpful. I’ve used it in various parts of the country and the info seems quite reliable.