Who will be first? Electric Trucks

The status quo of EVs is not static. As technology improves, demand will increase, prices will decrease. Think of the time when horseless carriages were invented. A toy for the rich, while the poor man rode his horse. Now horses are toys for the rich and the poor get by with a beat-up 94 Grand Am.
To cite the current state of technology as though it will never progress is just ignorant.

Like this.
To claim batteries from the early 1900s is the same as what you carry in your pocket attached to your phone is laughable, at best. Even smart phone batteries have improved drastically since the launch of the iPhone 3G. Doesn't take an electrical engineering degree to see that.

Why not? We're on the frontier edge of the advancement of technology. It's history we're living through. I'm sure people said the same about Benz when he started out, too. Smartphones, PCs, the Internet. All developed within most of our lifetimes and has completely changed the world. What's NOT to be excited about?

I'm not even going to buy an EV in the next 10 years and it's still exciting to watch.

 

Can’t speak for everyone, but I’m a nerd. Seeing people shoot for the moon is pretty damn cool. If I had the money, I loved to invest in the sh** Elon gets up to. Watching those rockets land themselves was insane.

 

the taycan can fully charge in 20 minutes with their fancy batteries. Allegedly...

 

Seems like these theoretical EV trucks will be far more capable than ICE, barring range/fill up time. Realistically, a 400 mile range is probably more than enough for 90% of the population. I like the R1T, but won't be an early adopter because buying another car is not in line with my financial goals at the moment. Plus,w all the hats being thrown into the ring, I bet the range and recharge limitations will be the basis of the competition and the technology will begin to advance exponentially once these things start hitting the mass market.

 

but you and the other guy went off about oh they're not more environmental and range etc.
When my initial post was to someone asking what the advantages of an electric motor is vs ICE in which I was just listing the actual facts about where they are better and excel. Never once claimed they are what we should all be driving like you're implying. I've never once claimed that next year we should all be driving EVs or whatever.
Once the power source tech gets there they will be way better than ICE but some old fashioned, afraid of change people will still say they suck.

Sorry I get excited for the future tech since I get to see just how useful electric motors are.

Want to talk another aspect where ICE falls short in performance, all the current battery powered chainsaws from Milwaukee, DeWalt and Makita out performs the equivalent level 40cc ICE chainsaw.
Sure they have the hindered run time of electric vs gas but if you have a lot of batteries they can actually be just as useful.

The tech for extended range is there with hydrogen fuel cells. The issue is just cost and infrastructure.

Disregarding the extended range/run time
Torque output is better and more controlled on electric motors EVERY TIME

 

Dude nobody is arguing that!

 

I’m probably the other guy. My only problems with the EV is the initial extra cost and the recharging on long trips. I’m sure the tech will get better as time goes on. I’m not worried about the 0-60 times or keeping up with the Jones. I bought my Tacoma b/c it serves my needs. If I was worried about gas mileage, I would have bought a small computer car...either ICE, hybrid, or EV.
BTW, this thread is about who will be first to have an EV truck. My vote is Ford with the partnerships.

 

Engineering explained covers some other topics in this thread as well, but I thought this would be a good place to start.

 

The Porsche Taycan will be featured in a Superbowl commercial this Sunday.

 

There has been a lot of advancement in battery technology in the past decade but that is no guaranty that there will be just as much advancement in the coming decade. In fact the easy advancements may have already been achieved and new smaller, denser, cheaper batteries may now become hard to come by.

I am looking forward to a mild hybrid Taco in a few years time and because it is hybrid a large battery capacity is not needed.

 

Since we are sharing...

I signed up and put down $1,000 to reserve a Rivian R1T after the 2018 LA Auto show. The truck will prolly be ready to purchase in December of 2020, but they are starting w/ the most expensive versions. The $69K price is for a middle of the road version according to CEO’s statements this week.

Originally, I was excited about the skateboard technology and how it would conceivably change the automotive industry. All of the Amazon vans will run on one of the three skateboards they are producing, prolly the range one. Eventually, more varied vehicles will be produced on the same skateboards. Pretty cool. So, clearly: fanboy, early adopter.

I bought my tacoma in 2019. Since then, I’ve driven from CA to WA, WA to Jasper in Alberta, Canada, and WA to TX (a few times) - all towing a camper trailer. Couldn’t imagine doing that with the Rivian.

So, I am undecided on whether I will buy the Rivian.

 

Towing and frigid weather is where ICE vehicles are still superior. They both zap the range of BEV pretty quickly with current battery technology. The Tesla Semi will supposedly go 300-500 miles only because of the massive battery pack it can carry.

I am on the list for a Cybertruck as I am very interested in owning a BEV pickup as well. I am curious to see how much the production version differs from the concept that was displayed in November.

 

As was my vote for Ford

 

Buy a used Prius if you care about the environment instead of buying a new coal powered EV

 

Have a model X to haul the kids. Fun at first, furiously fast on the on ramp then stuck in traffic. Took it up to Mt Whitney on a lark. Had to stop three times to charge since it was freezing out and couldn’t drive over 55 to make it to the next charger. Took over 8 hours to get there from the OC. On another lark took the taco to Mt Whitney, 3 hrs, got to Rescue mine, then Bishop to get beef jerky and headed back before my model x would have even made it there. Autopilot was cool at first but my MT in LA traffic is still better.

Microwaves were the rage when they came out but people still enjoy grilling. That’s the difference between a manual truck and an EV. Both will get the job done, one is quicker, the other more fun.

EVs don’t lessen your impact on the environment since it’s mostly coal powered electric anyway.

 

Low center of gravity is because it’s small (I assume)? It’s there more to it than that?

 

I think they’re cool.

Your real-world scope and experience may be limited. We have EVs running around everywhere here in SoCal and they work fine. Hybrids work great. You see no proof of concept of either where you are, I guess, but I’ll bet the manufacturers want to sell lots of units, so they’ll cater to a state with 30+ million people like CA or TX; again, they work fine here.

They are significantly better from the environment (cradle to grave, battery and emissions to charge them included). You are asking everyone to calm down yet you’ve posted like at least a dozen times on this thread. You keep asking about why people have an EV Boner when you’ve got one for this thread!! Mind your own EV boner!

 

Of this we agree, which is why I asked the question albeit flippantly.

Everyone says this, yet I've never seen a single scientific study stating this is true. I don't think there IS any such study that exists, as the use and subsequent disposal of these vehicles is hardly mainstream.

Hold on there, sir, I told ONE guy to calm down who was writing in all caps and called me thick. Several individuals have said things like "I just like em," or "I see a potential there" and I've appreciated their comments. I've also had a few discussions with guys that engage me directly so it would be rude not to respond, right?

I'll remind you from now on sometimes it's better to appear a fool than to open your mouth remove all doubt.

 

Ironically the first horseless carriages commonly used in this country were EV's. Late 1800's. I guess everything does come back around eventually.

 

The more I look at this, it's actually a GREAT point.

I live in southeast Kansas. Wichita is hardly LA. 500,000 people, 20 minutes to get across town. We don't have "rush hour." If there IS stop and go traffic, it lasts for about 5 minutes. Our community is highly industrial and agricultural. You can't run a machine shop or work on a farm and drive a Tesla.

As with everything, the market determines the success of a product. There is no market here.