A 2000 HP 6 wheel electric driven by a turbo engine that runs on gasoline, diesel or natural gas. 1200 miles between fill-ups! I hear the owner interview on the radio last night. Sounds like exactyly what the trucking industry needs.
It’s been a big month for trucking innovations. In addition to Otto’s autonomous truck announcement, there’s the unveiling of Nikola Motor Company’s electric long-haul rig concept. The Nikola One, as it’s called, has “6×6 all-wheel drive,” with 800-volt AC motors and regenerative braking at all wheels. And a whopping 2000 horsepower, compared to the 400-500 hp that most trucks have.
It also has a tank that holds 150 gallons of compressed natural gas, which powers a turbine that charges the 320 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The idea is that drivers would not have to stop to charge; the CNG plus regenerative braking would be able to power the truck for 1200 miles of driving. It’s similar to how the Chevy Volt works, where the gasoline tank recharges the batteries. The Volt and the Nikola One are both electric vehicles in that electric power from the batteries turns the wheels, but the batteries are most often charged by an on-board generator or turbine.
