diesel engines then and now.

Nova Eona · January 24, 2020, 07:13:37 PM

Hah, I like the toaster! I get it, for a truck that big that can be a lot of power to take in all at once, probably easier to just bleed it to atmosphere than to safely re-capture it without risking popping a battery.

Luvrbus, the benefit of the electric drive is that big electric motors have crazy torque and then you can keep the diesel running in it's prime power band at all times, so it's really the best of both worlds.

luvrbus · January 25, 2020, 07:05:45 AM

I saw a Liebherr mining truck at Conexpo in Vegas that was battery powered the thing had a 2 inch cable to charge the batteries and took 24 hrs to charge mining outfits were not impressed to say the least with the $250,000.00 battery pack to replace

windtrader · January 25, 2020, 08:34:22 AM

The example of electrified intracity fleet in King County benefits from the nearly 60% of electricity coming from renewable sources, in this case, hydropower. Nationally, hydrocarbon based fuel for electrical generation is pervasive but why not the return to nuclear or maybe solar continues to grow. Of course, these are distant horizon solutions. By then humans will be extinct or live on Mars. lol

CrabbyMilton · January 25, 2020, 10:36:06 AM

The best solution is nuclear power. But just say the word nuclear and some people run to the basement and scream.

freds · January 25, 2020, 01:36:32 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on January 25, 2020, 07:05:45 AM
I saw a Liebherr mining truck at Conexpo in Vegas that was battery powered the thing had a 2 inch cable to charge the batteries and took 24 hrs to charge mining outfits were not impressed to say the least with the $250,000.00 battery pack to replace

I read about one mining use case where they were mining on top of a mountain and would generate enough power going down hill with a load that they would dump power to the rest of the operation and still have enough power to run back up the hill empty.

benherman1 · March 12, 2020, 06:24:40 AM

Quote from: freds on January 25, 2020, 01:36:32 PM
I read about one mining use case where they were mining on top of a mountain and would generate enough power going down hill with a load that they would dump power to the rest of the operation and still have enough power to run back up the hill empty.

I was about to make a perpetual motion machine joke before I realized the weight of the load probably has a rather large effect. That's a really neat use case.

As much as I love the old diesels I assume anyone in the hobby 40 years from now will be having to do a drive train conversion of some sort. I'll be excited for the higher top speeds.

Jim Blackwood · March 12, 2020, 08:00:24 AM

It was a big part of my decision to go with the 102DL3. I wanted the 4 stroke engine. I also wanted the automatic and the taller ceiling. The rest just came with it.

Jim