Cummins Talks Future Clean Big Rig Tech Including An Electric Semi With Up To 300 Mile Range
A few days back we talked a bit about the Tesla electric semi that it had been working on. Word is that the electric big rig can go up to 300 miles per charge making it appropriate for regional deliveries. Tesla isn't the only big name in the big rig industry looking at a cleaner future and electric semi trucks. Cummins, one of the biggest names in diesel engines, is talking up its next generation of "energy diverse products and technology solutions."
Those diverse products include an electric powertrain that would find its way into big rigs from different manufacturers. The demonstrator truck that Cummins has unveiled using its electric drivetrain has a 140 KWh battery rather than the traditional Cummins 12-liter diesel engine under the hood. Cummins says that the weight of these diesel powertrain is about the same as the engine that is removed along with the other component of the combustion powertrain.
The demonstrator truck is a tractor day cab configuration and has a gross vehicle weight of 75,000 pounds. In concept form the truck can drive 100 miles on a single charge. That driving range can be extended to 300 miles with additional battery packs. To help the driving range the truck is fitted with regenerative braking and could have solar panels on the trailer roof.
The concept truck is also built to be aerodynamic with no side mirrors, the concept uses cameras instead and a streamlined design with sealed truck body and underbody. Electric trucks aren't all Cummins is looking at for a greener future for the big rig industry. The company also says that it has a near-zero natural gas engine and super efficient diesel engines called the X12 and X15.
Cummins has also announced that it has some sort of revolutionary heavy-duty diesel engine due in 2022. Cummins has offered no details on that new diesel engine. While Cummins is looking to a future with electrification and alternative power solutions, it says that diesel engines will be a popular option for years to come.
SOURCE: Cummins