The very nature of electric trucks being simpler, from a component POV, compared with their diesel brethren means that we tend to gloss over the equipment nuances. While the commercial vehicle segment is still wrapping its arms around electric truck applications, so too are we starting to understand the spec’ing strategies that come with an electric vehicle. The heaviest equipment elephant in the room is weight. Class 8 battery electric trucks have a federal exemption that allows an 82,000-lb. gross vehicle weight. (Fun fact if you click that link: The 82,000 lbs also counts for natural gas vehicles.)
Even with that extra weight allowance, the question fleet managers need to be asking is: What equipment spec’ing opportunities are there for electric trucks?
The answer, perhaps not surprisingly, is: nearly the same as with diesel trucks. You can bring your well-honed lighter-weight equipment knowledge to your electric rig spec’ing game. Consider suspensions. The same weight savings that a component like composite springs suspensions brings to the diesel truck is the same for an electric truck. How much weight savings are we talking about?
For that answer, and more on how composite springs are gaining ground in trucks and trailers, I talked with Bryan Romer, business unit director, Hendrickson Composites, Truck Commercial Vehicle Systems. Watch the video above for all of his insight.
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