Rock Down To Electric Avenue – HGV Style

September is a very exciting time for the HGV world. Not only have we just had news of the new electric postal vans, but we also have the announcement of an electric HGV from premium electric car manufacturer Tesla. Tesla is well known for being cutting edge and producing gorgeous, high-end cars, so seeing them move into the HGV industry is incredibly exciting. Electric HGVs are something that we have been waiting on for a long time, and with the threat of a diesel ban hovering in the future, we’re hoping electric HGVs could change the haulage industry as we know it.

Tesla’s Electric HGV 

After a long wait and a lot of teasing, the end is finally in sight. This month, Tesla will be unveiling their new, all-electric HGV. In preparation for the big announcement, here’s a rundown of what we know so far:

• The initial model will have a range of 200-300 miles per charge
• Later models will range up to 1000 miles per charge
• They will be produced in the Fremont manufacturing facility in California
• Initial models will only feature a day cab, with no sleeper compartments. Again, these will be available in later models
• The design is very rounded and curvy compared to most HGVs of its size, presumably to boost aerodynamics and increase efficiency
• The electric version will match traditional diesel models for torque and range.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed the first images of the all-electric Tesla lorry earlier this year, with the darkened image showing a glowing EV lorry with little more than its LED lights piercing the darkness. This was the very first confirmation from Musk that he had set his sights on the commercial market and now the time is almost here. Watch this space, folks!

  Competition Emerges

After the long wait for Tesla, competitor and market leader in diesel and natural gas engine production for the commercial sector Cummins have decided to opt for a shorter unveiling campaign. On the 29^th of August, they debuted their first all-electric truck – a class 7 HGV featuring a 140 kWh battery that they intend to sell separately to bus and haulage companies in 2019. The truck cab weighs in at 18,000 lbs and is able to haul a 22-tonne trailer with no problems. The beast has been affectionately named AEOS by its creators, in reference to one of the 4 winged horses that drive the chariot of Helios through the skies in Greek mythology. Mileage wise, it can so far only manage 100 miles to the charge, which puts it behind the Tesla model. However, Cummins has said that their main market for AEOS is for urban delivery and short-haul deliveries rather than long-haul trips, so the short mileage might not be so much of a problem after all. Finally, the Cummins engine takes 1 hour to charge fully, with plans already in place to bring that down to a 2-minute full cycle charge by 2020, so that drivers’ routes and timings aren’t affected by the need to charge. Cummins have even announced a wider production date of January 2019, which means that the reality of widely available electric HGVs is only 18 months away.

At The HGV Training Centre, we couldn’t be more excited about both of these announcements. Electric HGVs have long been a pipedream, with efforts being focused on making eco-friendly cars instead. But now that the focus has turned to develop commercial vehicles that can cope with the demands of the haulage industry, the future is looking brighter. This news is particularly welcome given the increasing possibilities of a complete ban of diesel HGVs in the not so distant future. If you want to find out more about the new electric HGVs, or how you can prepare to drive one, just get in touch with us today.