Are Propulsion Trailers the Future of Trucking?
Trailers, by definition, are inert objects that are pulled by something else to get it moving, but in terms of the trucking industry, part of that definition may be changing due to a new technological innovation from Range Energy.
Details
Range Energy’s new electric trailer, the RA, has its own battery that it pulls power from to help move it in the direction of the tractor. The California-based startup says that this method of having the trailer move some of its own weight in moving reduces fuel consumption by 40%, while also reducing the amount of effort the truck’s powertrain needs to exert. Surely an engine would last long pulling on 60,000 pounds of weight compared to 80,000? One more hidden potential upside to this technology is faster charging time for fully electric trucks, as a driver would be able to charge both the tractor and the trailer simultaneously.
It comes with a slight downside, however: the batteries for the trailer weigh 4,000 pounds, reducing the amount of cargo that can be delivered while still being within weight regulations. If the technology proves to be popular enough, it may just warrant regulators carving a 4,000 pound exemption for the electrified trailers, but that has yet to be seen.
As of the time of writing these electric trailers are not for sale to the public, but with Range Energy announcing that it is the first trailer eligible for the California Air Resources Board tax incentive, it is likely we might just see these energized trailers on the road sometime soon. Range Energy is currently aiming to bring them to the public market in 2025.
Conclusion
With trailers being able to help carry some of their own weight, the natural technological evolution is for it to eventually move its entire weight, which, when combined with self-driving technology, means that cargo freight will eventually become nothing more than a bunch of boxes on wheels, removing the tractor from the equation completely.
Both of these technological innovations are still numerous decades away, especially autonomous driving with its hundreds of hurdles, so trucking is here to stay. Of course, once they come out, TopMark Funding will be happy to provide fleets with adequate funding solutions!
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