Battery Electric Vehicle News / Enjoying the Transportation Revolution

QrizB

Martyn1981 said:

Very, very big BEV news ..... so to speak.

That's a lot of truck!

Wonder how many miles-per-kWh they get?

Martyn1981

QrizB said:

Martyn1981 said:

Very, very big BEV news ..... so to speak.

That's a lot of truck!

Wonder how many miles-per-kWh they get?

I'm guessing a lot (code for making it up as I go along), but here goes.

So, with a max load of about 240tn it'll weigh in at ~400tn.

The Tesla semi seems to be averaging about 1.7kWh/mile, but that will I assume include running empty, and some lighter than max 40tn loads, so let's say 2.5kWh/mile at max weight.

I'd guess the dump truck has more rolling resistance/grip proportionately, due to the terrain it operates on, but not sure, and whilst it can do about 40mph, I assume less, so its 'poor' aerodynamics (understatement of the century ;-) ) don't matter too much.

So maybe just go with 10x 2.5kWh in relation to weight, so 25kWh per mile at max weight?????

Assuming they charge on Octopus cheap rate at night  then that's about £1.75 per mile.

debitcardmayhem

Martyn1981 said:

QrizB said:

Martyn1981 said:

Very, very big BEV news ..... so to speak.

That's a lot of truck!

Wonder how many miles-per-kWh they get?

I'm guessing a lot (code for making it up as I go along), but here goes.

So, with a max load of about 240tn it'll weigh in at ~400tn.

The Tesla semi seems to be averaging about 1.7kWh/mile, but that will I assume include running empty, and some lighter than max 40tn loads, so let's say 2.5kWh/mile at max weight.

I'd guess the dump truck has more rolling resistance/grip proportionately, due to the terrain it operates on, but not sure, and whilst it can do about 40mph, I assume less, so its 'poor' aerodynamics (understatement of the century ;-) ) don't matter too much.

So maybe just go with 10x 2.5kWh in relation to weight, so 25kWh per mile at max weight?????

Assuming they charge on Octopus cheap rate at night  then that's about £1.75 per mile.

I guess, (also making it up) you have forgotten the fact that  a lot of the time they will be static , just driving the shovels and lifting bucket loads from left to right up and down and vice versa. Your estimate in could be out by a factor of (inserts guess) 😎

Martyn1981

Great news for BEV sales in Sept according to SMMT preliminary data, as they almost matched petrol sales.

Sadly, that only applies to chart 3, which also only adds up to 77%. But still nice to see 



Edit - should really include the first chart, before I confuse anyone:
Edit 2 - They've told me that they corrected the error this morning, but now it seems the Sept results have been removed.

Martyn1981

Well this sounds very promising, an industry actually asking for mandated targets to help them plan ahead, and transition to cleaner vehicles.

Logistics Giants, Transport Companies, & Power Sector Call on President von der Leyen to Set Zero Emission Targets for Clean Deliveries

A group of Europe’s largest logistics, transport and power companies, including Pepsico, Nestlé, IKEA and EDF, is urging the European Commission to set binding zero-emission targets for large shippers and buyers of transport services.

Signatories include some of the biggest players in freight and logistics, demonstrating that businesses are ready to lead the transition to a climate-neutral Europe with the right policy support.

Grumpy_chap

EV sales hit a high, according to the motoring section of this site:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6629870/are-new-cars-really-as-bad-as-they-say#latest

Martyn1981

Another 'Big BEV' article, looking at the electrification of shipping. Hopefully China's approach/testing will lead the way, opening up shorter routes, but leading to ever more electrification.

The Yangtze River Is Becoming the World’s Largest Electrified Trade Corridor

The Gezhouba, a new 13,000-ton all-electric bulk carrier launched in Yichang, is more than a technical milestone. It is a sign that the electrification of inland shipping is moving from concept to inevitability. The vessel’s 24 MWh of containerized lithium battery modules can move cargo roughly 500 km on a single charge per the launch announcement, and its home port already hosts the first dedicated charging station on the Yangtze River. For years, analysts have speculated that the physical scale of bulk carriers would make batteries impractical. Now the question is no longer whether electric bulk transport can work, but how quickly the infrastructure will spread to support it.

Port electrification follows a predictable sequence. The first stage replaces diesel cranes, trucks, and yard equipment with electric systems. The second extends to tugs and harbor craft. The third, which is now underway in China, reaches inland and short-sea vessels. The fourth will see ports functioning as full energy hubs, feeding deep-sea hybrids and stabilizing regional grids. Every stage builds on the one before it. Once the ground vehicles and cranes switch to electric drive, high-capacity chargers and energy management systems are already in place. Those same assets can serve harbor craft and ships. Electrification propagates by infrastructure reuse.

The Gezhouba itself is built around twelve modular battery units packaged in steel boxes roughly the size of shipping containers. Each contains immersion-cooled lithium cells suspended in silicone oil for safety and temperature control. The modules can be charged in place or swapped out entirely at a port. This approach mirrors the 700-TEU Yangtze container ships already in service that exchange standardized battery containers at dedicated swap stations. Standardization matters because it allows operators to share infrastructure, spreading costs across multiple fleets and shortening turnaround times. In design and operation, the new bulk carrier follows the same logic that has already worked for smaller container ships and ferries. Predictable routes, steady loads, and controlled terminals make electric propulsion an economic choice rather than a demonstration.

Bulk carriers are often considered poor candidates for electrification because of their energy intensity, but inland routes have different constraints than ocean crossings. River vessels spend much of their time at low speeds, stop frequently, and operate between fixed terminals. Those characteristics make energy demand manageable and allow recharging or battery exchange to fit naturally into loading cycles. The Gezhouba’s route between Yichang and downstream industrial zones is exactly the kind of steady corridor where battery freight makes sense. Its performance data will shape the specifications for the next generation of inland bulk carriers, which will likely standardize on containerized modules, automated docking, and shared charging infrastructure.

Viewed in the larger context of maritime energy, the Yangtze experiment sits within a clear global trend. Inland and short-sea shipping will electrify almost completely by mid-century, while deep-sea vessels transition more slowly through hybrid designs. Battery density and cost curves already favor routes under 1,000 km. As ultra-high-voltage transmission and local renewable capacity expand, the line between port infrastructure and power generation blurs. Ports are becoming nodes in a continental electrical system. They no longer only move cargo but balance supply and demand for regional grids.

Martyn1981

Haven't quite (yet) got over my excitement that PEV sales in China, the World's largest automarket, have exceeded 50% for the year so far. 

It's still rising, with September PEV sales at 58% (37% BEV), lifting the 2025 figure (so far) to 52% (32% BEV).

The article also starts to ponder if China has now seen 'peak PHEV'.

Hopefully I'll calm down when we reach 2026 ..... but then again, I suppose there's the 66.67% milestone to watch out for ..... and 50% BEV ....... oh dear!

BEVs Up 29% YoY & PHEVs Down 3% YoY — September 2025 China EV Sales Report

We saw plugins score another million-plus sales in September (1.3 million plugins, in a 2.2-million-unit overall market, up 6% YoY), but growth has been slowing down, with September showing a 16% increase over September 2024.

Digging deeper into the numbers, BEVs continued to grow, going up by 29% to 826,000 units, a new record, or 37% of overall sales. PHEVs were down again, this time by 3% YoY, to some 469,000 units. Counting both powertrains together, we get 1.3 million units, the second best month ever, and only a few thousand units below the all-time high set last December.

With BEVs continuing to grow by double digits and PHEVs accumulating months in red, have we reached a turning point in PHEV adoption?

These results pull the year-to-date (YTD) tally to over 8.9 million units. So, we should see plugins reach the 10 million unit mark if not in October, then surely in November….