I've posted a number of issues I see with the introduced class 8 highway tractor from Tesla. Much of what that article claims needs to be proven in real life situation.
The math doesn't seem to add-up. To build out 700 stations and get power from a number of renewable sources seem extremely costly and time consuming.
Just remember, all of this type of news is still very much in the testing stages. Much of it is optimistic pie-in-the-sky thinking. The real world is here right now with the near zero emission NatGas engines being used by many. They are in use today!!! They are available for order to anyone who wants to reduce their carbon footprint. This contractor believes this engine can be run at a lower cost than an electric. REAL WORLD STUFF, not pie-in-the-sky talk.
Sheehy Mail Contractors, Inc. (SMCI) of Waterloo is currently testing a new semi-truck engine that will allow commercial motor vehicles with compressed natural gas (CNG) engines to run on renewable natural gas (RNG), which produces the lowest carbon footprint out of any modern-day fuel.
Since June, Sheey has been testing the Cummins-Westport ISL G Near Zero (NZ) NOx natural gas engine in two semi-trucks. These trucks have been traveling to the East Coast daily while producing near zero emissions.
The Cummins-Wesport ISL G Near Zero (NX) NOx natural gas engine is the first mid-range engine of its kind in North America. This engine is also the first engine in North America to receive emission certifications from both the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Air Resources Board (ARB) in California.
The engine has been optimized to operate entirely on natural gas which can be carried on the vehicle in either its compressed (CNG), liquefied (LNG), or even renewable (RNG) form. Currently, more than 92 percent of SMCI’s total semi-truck fleet operates on CNG fuel with more than 12 million CNG miles being driven so far in 2017.
As the transportation industry continues to evolve technologically the type of fuel used to power semi-trucks can be expected to as well. “The mode of power will be the mode that has the lowest cost of operation including acquisition costs and has the most robust refueling/recharging system,” John Sheehy, CEO of Sheehy Enterprises, said.
However, SMCI officials believes that by combining the use of RNG fuel with the ISL G Near Zero engine semi-trucks can run cleaner on RNG fuel than on electric. Although electricity is a considered a “clean fuel,” most of the electricity produced in the U.S is done so by consuming various fossil fuels such as coal. RNG fuel can be produced naturally via biomethane from landfills, animal fodder, and even wastewater treatment facilities.
With so many advances being made in both trucking and fuel technology the future looks bright, and SMCI is excited to be at the forefront, Sheehy said.
AI
