Motoring Discussion > Electrically powered HGVs Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Bagpuss Replies: 18
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New Fri 29 Jun 12 08:57 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Bagpuss
An acquaintance who works for Siemens mentioned this to me. To begin with I thought he was winding me up, but apparently not:

tinyurl.com/7ujhew7
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New Fri 29 Jun 12 10:57 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Mike Hannon
Tramway systems often carried goods as well, didn't they?
Up until 1949 there was an amazing hydro-electric powered tramway system that covered the whole of the Haute-Vienne departement where we live and I have seen pictures of the tramcars pulling trucks behind them.
I don't really understand why people seem to have forgotten that 'hybrid' - ie petrol/electric - vehicles were in use at least 90 years ago. London buses built by Tilling-Stevens for example.
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New Fri 29 Jun 12 11:24 
 Electrically powered HGVs - movilogo
There are trolley buses around the world - although this one is unique that it has a diesel engine as well when not using electric power.

I watched something on TV where they predict something will be embedded in roads and sensors underside of the cars will draw electricity wirelessly.



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New Fri 29 Jun 12 11:27 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Zero
You know what? you could send good by train on rail. Use all those siding near stations to drop stuff off. Oppps they all appear to have been turned into car parks........


Seriously, rail should be an option, and the likes of Stobart are trunking stuff between hubs on rail and more freight train operators are trying to get licences. We are however hampered by lack of capacity (slots) and a damn awful loading gauge that prevents a lorry trailer being loaded onto a flat car. We are stuck with single height intermodal containers.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 29 Jun 12 at 11:29
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New Fri 29 Jun 12 12:34 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Mike Hannon
Limoges (near me) is world-famous for its trolley buses, many of which are built there. The latest ones have big spats over the wheels, so they look like trams - and small auxiliary diesel engines. The first time I saw one away from the wires I thought I was dreaming.
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New Fri 29 Jun 12 14:20 
 Electrically powered HGVs - neiltoo
Yep, I had a weeks holiday in the Rhine gorge last month.
Absolutely no HGVs on the road on each bank.

Long trains carrying artic trailers on the railways each side, and all bulk materials - coal:oil - on barges.
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New Fri 29 Jun 12 19:55 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Alastairw
TNT have been using an electric 7.5 tonne sized truck made my Mitsubishi to collect post from our office for a while, though they have recently reverted to diesel power.

The electric truck could creep up on you until it engaged reverse and the warning horn started.
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New Fri 29 Jun 12 21:29 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Bromptonaut
Whichever courier's vehicles are chocolate brown + gold sign writing use electric vehicles in central London. Phenomenal acceleration yet almost silent when approaching from behind....
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New Fri 29 Jun 12 23:41 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Dave_
>> Whichever courier's vehicles are chocolate brown + gold sign writing

That's the one known as "oops", but spelled "UPS".

AlastairW is right, TNT have used Smith Electric / Mitsubishi 7.5t trucks for a few years now. Ideal for heavy multi-drop city centre rounds near the depot, as they only have a range of around 40 miles on a full charge. Leicester has one.

Re the OP: How are the pantograph lorries earthed?
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Fri 29 Jun 12 at 23:43
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New Sat 30 Jun 12 08:43 
 Electrically powered HGVs - bathtub tom
>>Re the OP: How are the pantograph lorries earthed?

If you look carefully at the OP's picture you can make out what appears to be a double pantograph contacting two wires.

Trolley buses used to have two 'sticks': tinyurl.com/bney3ph

pmh.
It occurred to me this would be a wonderful new source of nickable metal.
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New Sun 1 Jul 12 10:35 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Simon
>>AlastairW is right, TNT have used Smith Electric / Mitsubishi 7.5t trucks for a few
>>years now. Ideal for heavy multi-drop city centre rounds near the depot, as they
>>only have a range of around 40 miles on a full charge. Leicester has one.

They have more than one, but they are unreliable and problematic. I don't think that the technology is 'quite right' just yet...
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New Sat 30 Jun 12 00:04 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Auristocrat
Not just HGV's ..

Caledonian MacBrayne are having two new hybrid (diesel electric) ro ro ferries built in Scotland for operation on the Clyde and in the Hebrides. The first one is expected to enter service on the Skye to Raasay route mid 2013.
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New Sat 30 Jun 12 00:08 
 Electrically powered HGVs - rtj70
>> Caledonian MacBrayne are having two new hybrid (diesel electric)

So if a diesel electric power system is hybrid, the old rolling stock on our railways is hybrid too? Like this modern stuff:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InterCity_125

:-)

Most cruise ships could be hybrid too with the propulsion being electric based - with massive generators. I suppose nuclear powered ships and submarines are 'hybrid' too?
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sat 30 Jun 12 at 00:10
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New Sat 30 Jun 12 00:15 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Armel Coussine
Dr Ferdinand Porsche had a bee in his bonnet about hybrid drivetrains for heavy military trucks. He was designing such vehicles with diesel or petrol generators driving electric motors in the wheels during the first world war. I suppose they worked but they must have been expensive to make. Later he used the same system for tanks.
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New Sat 30 Jun 12 11:50 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Auristocrat
The CalMac ferries will have a large battery pack for their electric power.

A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. So yes an HS125 would fit the bill.

I think that today, when one mentions a hybrid vehicle, people think things like the Toyota Prius/Honda Insight.
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New Sat 30 Jun 12 04:05 
 Electrically powered HGVs - sherlock47
If they are going to try this in Europe I reckon that the cable will find its way back to Rumania quicker than it can be (re)-installed!
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New Sat 30 Jun 12 20:44 
 Electrically powered HGVs - Cliff Pope
Birmingham had electric dustcarts before the war:

www.flickr.com/photos/saltleyman/4746904252/
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New Sun 1 Jul 12 15:22 
 Electrically powered HGVs - L'escargot
Our milkman used to drive an electrically powered light goods vehicle..
:-D
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New Sun 1 Jul 12 16:10 
 Electrically powered HGVs - zookeeper
did he manage to keep up with you snail?
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