Trucking Down eHighway
when it recognizes available power.
A scheme to electrify trucks and the highways they travel could help significantly reduce emissions. Siemens’ eHighway of the Future project, undergoing tests in Germany, involves hybrid diesel–electric trucks that are equipped to connect to overhead wires. The built-in software would recognize when the overhead electricity is available, then switch power mode to electric.
“When most people think of vehicle emissions, they assume cars do most of the damage, but it’s actually commercial trucks that are largely to blame,” says Daryl Dulaney, CEO, Siemens Infrastructure & Cities, United States. “Freight transportation on U.S. roadways is expected to double by 2050, while global oil resources continue to deplete. And by 2030, carbon-dioxide emissions are forecasted to jump 30% due to freight transport alone.”
Source: Siemens Corporation, www.industry.siemens.com.