Friday, September 7, 2012

Electric cargo trucks at Port of LA need R&D to excel

Electric cargo trucks at the Port of Los Angeles have had problems with endurance and durability. In the early stages, some of the port's electric trucks couldn't go more than four hours on one charge, unable to complete an eight-hour shift. Truck parts have been known to melt or burst into flames.

Michael Simon, chief executive of TransPower, who showed two electric trucks at the PortTechLA EXPO on Thursday, is mindful of these failed efforts. The heavy-duty, eco-friendly trucks will be used at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. PortTechLA, a business development organization run by a coalition that includes the port and city of Los Angeles, sponsors the annual event to showcase new tech in energy use, security and cargo movement.

"Can I build an electric truck now for the same cost as a diesel or natural gas truck?" Simon said to the Los Angeles Times. "The answer is no. We're not there yet. These are prototypes. They are concept vehicles. They are well engineered, and they will be more robust than the electric trucks that have come out in previous years."

The trucks will save approximately $50,000 annually on fuel and maintenance costs and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 100 tons each a year. They run with an electric motor, drivetrain and many batteries.

Simon said it will take time to develop a truck that can last a full shift or longer, every day, over a 10 to 12 years.

The California Energy Commission has awarded TransPower "$1 million for truck development and $2 million for a stationary storage system for intermittent energy sources such as solar and wind power."

For more of the Los Angeles Times story: latimes.com

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