E-truck test route [image credit: transport-online.de]
Back to the future? This is the truck equivalent of the trolleybuses that operated in some UK cities until the 1960s, and are still in use in a few other countries – except that these trucks do still have engines. Another expensive and over-engineered attempt to make a tiny reduction in trace gases in the atmosphere, in pursuit of futile ‘climate targets’ and to fool the public that such things matter.
Germany has opened its first autobahn test track for overhead power line (catenary) e-trucks, the environment ministry (BMU) announced in a press release [which says: ‘The Federal Environment Ministry has funded the construction of the plant with 14.6 million euros. For the field trial in Hesse, which runs until the end of 2022, a further 15.3 million is available’].
After years on a non-public testing ground, five hybrid test trucks will use the five kilometre long autobahn section between Frankfurt and Darmstadt in the state of Hesse until 2022, reports Clean Energy Wire.
The trucks are equipped with electric and diesel engines as well as batteries that can be quickly recharged via the overhead lines.
“The inauguration of the first German e-highway in Hesse is a milestone for the decarbonisation of road freight transport in Germany,” said Roland Edel, chief technology officer at Siemens Mobility, which is involved in the project. Germany will open two more test tracks, the BMU said.
Trucks and other freight vehicles are the backbone of Germany’s export-driven economy.
But rapid growth in traffic volumes is increasing pressure to reach emissions reductions in the transport sector, which already lags behind in fulfilling its climate targets.
Over 95 percent of CO₂ emissions in Germany’s transport sector are caused by road traffic, with about one-third caused by long and short-distance road haulage.
Source: Clean Energy Wire.
via Tallbloke’s Talkshop
May 7, 2019 at 09:33AM
Iowa Climate Science Education 