There are key hurdles preventing businesses from making the transition to electric trucks. These include limited driving range, lack of charging infrastructure and complex maintenance.
Fortunately, solutions such as battery swapping stations, fast charging technology and high-performance components can help overcome these challenges. In this article, we dive into the challenges of truck electrification and examine the possible solutions to overcome them.
Limited driving range and energy density – One of the primary challenges faced by electric trucks is the limited energy density of lithium-ion technology. This results in a limited range on a single charge, which is a big issue for long-haul trucking where extended ranges and quick refuelling are vital to efficiency. More batteries can lead to more driving range, but presents the consequence of additional weight that takes up valuable cargo space.
Lack of charging infrastructure – To overcome the limited driving range of lithium-ion batteries, robust charging infrastructure is crucial for electric trucks. However, this infrastructure varies wildly between regions, with some having built a significant number of charging stations and others barely any. For the latter, electric truck adoption becomes extremely difficult and almost unachievable.
Dedicated and advanced systems – Internally, electric trucks consist of delicate electronic circuits that are constantly facing dirt, heat and other environmental factors. They also operate via high-voltages and currents, which can cause additional damage to the battery and other components if left unchecked. These new and advanced challenges can act as a barrier to entry for a number of established truck-based businesses that are far more familiar with combustion engines.
Battery swapping, as its name suggests, is the process of replacing the electric truck’s battery instead of charging. It involves dedicated truck designs that accommodate the simple and efficient replacement of their battery along with swapping stations spread throughout a route.
This process eliminates the challenges tied to driving range and charging infrastructure, and is even faster than refuelling a combustion engine truck. Better yet, depleted batteries can be recharged for other trucks along the route, maximising efficiency and sustainability.
The energy capacity requirements of electric trucks is far greater than that of other commercial EVs. As a result, standard charging infrastructure lacks the speed to maintain operational efficiency when compared to combustion engine trucks.
As a solution, fast charging systems such as Megawatt Charging Systems can provide exceptional charging speeds for high energy capacity vehicles. They have a maximum current of 3000 A at 1.25 kV, resulting in a peak charging potential of 3.75 MW. This enables electric trucks to greatly reduce charging and idle time to maximise operational efficiency.
High-performance components can be integrated into electric trucks to protect the battery and sensitive systems as well as maximise energy capacity. These components also help protect against thermal and environmental factors that can lead to battery degradation and energy loss.
Key examples of these components include high-performance connectors, relays and disconnects. They are responsible for managing the voltage and current between each individual system, ensuring efficient operation and minimising the risk of damage. This results in trucks maximising their energy efficiency and time between required maintenance.
There are a number of key hurdles in the way of widespread truck electrification. Energy density, driving range and charging infrastructure need to be overcome before most of our goods can be transported sustainably on the road. Battery swapping and fast charging are plausible solutions, but the integration of high-performance components is vital in ensuring electric trucks have the efficiency and lifespan needed to be fully adopted.
At Dalroad, we provide an extensive range of high-performance EV components that are specialised for high-voltage commercial designs. With a full array of connectors, headers, relays, contactors, harnesses and more, our team of in-house experts can help you find the perfect components for your design. We are committed to helping you maximise the range and performance of your commercial EV.
To find out more about our catalogue of components and get support in choosing the right ones for your design, contact a member of our team today.
