How do you make trucks graceful?
A lumbering truck isn’t often seen as a graceful vehicle, but all that could be about to change...
A group of French companies recently got together to investigate the possibility of an electric highway whereby trucks would be powered by an overhead electricity supply.
This would see adapted heavy goods vehicles seamlessly transported along the highway fuel free - how effortless and very French.
Apparently, this superhighway would only require slight operational adjustments to existing infrastructures and wouldn’t take much training to adapt the skills of the drivers.
Sounds a no brainer if it works. Trucks of course do the heavy-duty work of transporting pretty much everything we use – from food to concrete to oil. Unsurprisingly in France, the greenhouse gas emissions of heavy goods vehicles account for 5% of the nation’s emissions.
Interestingly, Sweden is already one step ahead here. Last year they ran a trial of an electric highway; it was 1.2 miles long and trucks that were ‘pantograph-equipped’ (don’t ask me to explain) were connected to overhanging electrical wires. This trial was the culmination of two years’ work.
Sounds good but at that rate – 1.2 miles after 2 years’ planning – it’s going to be quicker to pop down the road for a banana rather than wait for it to arrive via truck.
A group of French companies recently got together to investigate the possibility of an electric highway whereby trucks would be powered by an overhead electricity supply.
This would see adapted heavy goods vehicles seamlessly transported along the highway fuel free - how effortless and very French.
Apparently, this superhighway would only require slight operational adjustments to existing infrastructures and wouldn’t take much training to adapt the skills of the drivers.
Sounds a no brainer if it works. Trucks of course do the heavy-duty work of transporting pretty much everything we use – from food to concrete to oil. Unsurprisingly in France, the greenhouse gas emissions of heavy goods vehicles account for 5% of the nation’s emissions.
Interestingly, Sweden is already one step ahead here. Last year they ran a trial of an electric highway; it was 1.2 miles long and trucks that were ‘pantograph-equipped’ (don’t ask me to explain) were connected to overhanging electrical wires. This trial was the culmination of two years’ work.
Sounds good but at that rate – 1.2 miles after 2 years’ planning – it’s going to be quicker to pop down the road for a banana rather than wait for it to arrive via truck.
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