Diesel pickups are for chumps

I think there are some crossed signals here. I never said that batteries would be powered solely with regenerative braking. I propose that an electric assist trailer would require less "range" than a full electric vehicle because it is only assisting up steep grades. I propose that the weight and space of additional batteries would be partially mitigated by the part-time duty. Where the factors meet for optimum efficiency as far as what grade to assist, when battery and motor weight become more of a burden than a hindrance will be up to the engineers to decide.

As for the position of "electric isn't there yet," that is a failing position to take, every time. I can't think of any technology that is better right out of the box. While technological advances sometimes feel like they happen overnight, they very rarely ever do. Incrementalism is the name of the game, and you can't work out every bug and measure every metric until you put stuff onto the market and start using it. The cheapest smart phone you can buy today is better than the original Iphone. Cell phones get better year after year, but people tend to forget that it is a process.

I'd love to see this with a small diesel generator built in for on the go charging

I don't know enough about the RV market to know if it'd appeal more to rich folks with big 5th wheels that'd want better towing mpg, or more middle class folks with SUV's that'd like to feel more comfortable towing medium sized travel trailers.

On a side note, would some heavy batteries in the lowest part of the trailer help any with stability in high winds? Would it take away too much water storage space? Could the regen braking level be adjusted? Very aggressive regen braking would be good for navigating down steep grades. Between solar panels and regen braking as a trickle charge, perhaps full recharge times would be reduced, but of course I don't know.

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Originally Posted by Irving

As for the position of "electric isn't there yet," that is a failing position to take, every time. I can't think of any technology that is better right out of the box. While technological advances sometimes feel like they happen overnight, they very rarely ever do. Incrementalism is the name of the game, and you can't work out every bug and measure every metric until you put stuff onto the market and start using it. The cheapest smart phone you can buy today is better than the original Iphone. Cell phones get better year after year, but people tend to forget that it is a process.

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Cell phones vs. electric vehicles isn't a realistic comparison. We understand the technology to make computers faster and more power efficient (finer lithography and new compounds for creating smaller/more efficient transistors). Electric vehicles on the other hand have similar limitations as to when the electrification of vehicles craze of the 1920's was attempted. We need a more effective way to store electricity than the battery technology currently available.

We're repeating history from when the automobile was invented with car companies popping up all over the place. How many of them were successful? A tiny few.

I don't buy into the Tesla hype. You can't glaze over the realities with some Steve Jobsian Reality Distortion Field.

I'll wait till I can get one for $10k used that I can run recycled fuel thru

There would have been zero successful car companies if no one would have tried to field a product because "we aren't there yet." Incrementalism in technology isn't only reserved for computers. There is evidence for it in pretty much everything.

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Originally Posted by Gman

For the vehicle in the OP, The Ford F-150 3.0l Power Stroke Diesel has a range over 750 miles and officially gets 30 mpg (but I did see a video review where they got 33.6 mpg on a one tank road trip). Fill the tank in a few minutes and you have another 750.

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Is that a new engine offering in the F150?

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Originally Posted by Irving

As for the position of "electric isn't there yet," that is a failing position to take, every time.

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Originally Posted by Irving

There would have been zero successful car companies if no one would have tried to field a product because "we aren't there yet." Incrementalism in technology isn't only reserved for computers. There is evidence for it in pretty much everything.

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In general I agree, EV will be the future (and sooner than many would think). But the idea that there is any EV currently on the market (or soon to hit the market) that is superior to ICE at this point is foolishness. Diesel pickups are clearly not for chumps and probably won't be for a decade at least.

I bet there would even be a market for electric assist wheelbarrows and garden wagons.

I'd take an electric assist game cart if it were allowed in walk-in areas.

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Originally Posted by Zundfolge

I think I'd rather have the Bollinger, but that's kind a nifty.

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I’m just under #4000 on the list for Bollinger, and love the modularity, but this is really cool. I agree with whoever said it: vaporware until otherwise, but it is definitely coming. Same with supercars. It is about performance, not green, the latter is a nice side benefit.

I’ll probably pass on the Bollinger until I see what the support infrastructure is though.