The ABCs of BEVs – Part 2: Truck Trends webisode

In Part 1 of The ABCs of BEVs webisode, we looked at electric trucks, the applications that are ready to electrify, and the related charging infrastructure that’s required.

In the second part of the series, we take the International eMV for a drive with Rush Truck Centre’s electrification expert Terry Maw behind the wheel. We find it to be extremely quiet, as expected, but enjoyed other benefits as well on our short drive.

Transcript

James Menzies:

In Part 1 of this two-part series on the ABCs of BEVs, we visited Rush Truck Centers to discuss electric trucks and the related charging infrastructure they require.

For Part 2, join us as we take you behind the wheel of the International eMV to get a feel for the driving experience. Terry Maw, Rush Truck Centers’ electrification expert, will be our driver.

So here we are inside the eMV, and Terry, normally you get in the truck and you look to see how much fuel you have. Walk me through the process before you fire up this truck.

Terry Maw:

Well, in this case, I have a couple of switches I turn on — just the main power and the 12-volt power. The 12 volt has to have a certain amount of power to get the truck started up. But that’s about it. Once you got energy, you’re good to go.

James Menzies:

Let’s fire it up and hear it start — or will we hear it start?

Terry Maw:

You won’t. So basically, turn on the ignition. It goes through a bit of a process.

James Menzies:

For a driver who’s used to driving diesels all their life, and they get into the seat of an electric vehicle. Yeah, obviously, we already see how quiet it is. What else are they going to notice about how it performs differently than what they might be accustomed to?

Terry Maw:

I’d say just, number one, obviously the sound. Then after that I would just say that it’s so smooth. The one thing you can do is select your regenerative braking. So, this truck has three levels of regen braking. And I usually put it on number three, which gives you the most power back when you let off the accelerator.

James Menzies:

Can you explain how that works? How does the regenerative braking help your range?

Terry Maw:

There’s a gauge that basically tells you how much energy you’re using. And when you let off the accelerator, it starts to automatically brake using the friction in the axles. And that starts putting power back into the batteries.

James Menzies:

So that will extend your range, and I’m guessing it’s also going to extend your brake life?

Terry Maw:

Yeah, you’re barely ever use the brakes. Especially if you’re going to run on the third level of regen because that is the most aggressive. A lot of it feels like you’re in a golf cart. When you let off the brakes and then it just slows down to a stop. So when I let it off, it basically comes almost to a complete stop. I hit the brakes just to come to a complete stop.

James Menzies:

As you accelerate it also has instantaneous torque, just like going back to your golf cart analogy.

Terry Maw:

Absolutely. There’s no hesitation. And you really notice the torque, the power. This particular truck, for a straight truck normally you’re going to be maybe 240, 260 horsepower. This truck is really the equivalent of about 325 horsepower.

James Menzies:

Now this is a demonstration truck. There aren’t a lot of them on the road yet. However, what kind of reaction are you getting from customers that are getting behind the wheel for the first time?

Terry Maw:

Definitely they love it. And they just constantly hear about how quiet it is. How great the one-pedal driving is, basically because of the regenerative braking.

James Menzies:

Do you think at, the end of the driving day or the end of a shift, you would noticeably feel fresher, just because of the lack of noise and the lack of vibration and everything else?

Terry Maw:

Absolutely. That’s definitely a benefit as well. I mean, I’ve heard that hearing loss is a big deal for drivers, especially in some of the older trucks. I mean you hear the exhaust in some of those trucks and it’s pretty loud, right? So when you have none of that and no interior noise.

We put a sound deadening on a lot of trucks on, you know, under the hood, in between the engine and the driver, under the wheel wells, places like that. But it’s not nearly going to be the issue it is in this truck.

James Menzies:

Without the engine noise you do start to hear some of those other things like the tire on the road, you hear different noises. They are a lot quieter than a traditional rumbling of a diesel.

Terry Maw:

Yeah. You can hear if sirens are coming and all those things you might not be as easy to hear when you’re driving a regular diesel truck.