Electric Truck? What does that mean?

Simple to answer - a truck propelled by an electric motor instead of a diesel engine.
Thats it! Is it?

At least this is what the existing truck manufacturers want us to believe,
and what these day's electric trucks are lock alike.
As a rule all other parts are still used:
Gearbox, differential, shafts, prop-shaft,
Are the trailers involved? No!

The drive concept today's trucks are following are based on the usage
of one central diesel engine distributing the power mechanically to the wheel.
Using a combustion engine as a power source it makes a lot of sense.
But we are discussing the usage of an electric motor as kinetic power source.
Is the best we can do changing the one with the other?

Does a city train having a locomotive? Why not?
Because it makes absolutely no sense to have one huge electric motor
pulling a city train, but to have lots of small electric motors all over
the train. What makes no sense for a diesel train makes incredible sense for an
electric train. Not only the technology is different, but all the way long
how it can, and should be used to get the best out of it.

Imagine: There is no combustion engine monster which is connected to the wheels.
And because of that there is no Gearbox, no differential, no shafts, and no prop-shaft!
And all those liters of oil these things are lubricated with!

All you have are some cabels instead, and in each truck wheel an electric motor.
Yes - today there is a planetary gear integrated with each e-motor containing some lubrication liquid, but all very little - compared ...

New e-motor designs will eliminate those mechanical devices (planetary gear) within the next decade.
Rule number one: moving parts as little as possible!
Our dream would be the "magnet" road train using a linear motor with only one moving part > the truck itself!
But to see this happen one - most probable - has to be the Timelord!

Back to more "down to earth" technology ...
Our e-truck has now the motors in the wheels.
And in a further step: it's trailer(s) have motors in the wheels ...
A whole new world opens of what such an electric truck, electric road train is capable of doing, and how it can be operated.
In my next posts I will try to paint a picture and present an exciting road transport universe.

You are still with me - reading? Then you have surely asked: Where comes the electricity from?
My next post will tackle that matter as it is a complex one and has not only to do with today's technological possibilities, but is very much relaying on the existing an infrastructure.