this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2023
1201 points (97.0% liked)

Memes

44932 readers
2125 users here now

Rules:

  1. Be civil and nice.
  2. Try not to excessively repost, as a rule of thumb, wait at least 2 months to do it if you have to.

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 59 points 1 year ago (5 children)
[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Steel rails have even less friction

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'm very aware of that Tom Scott video, don't worry. It is an okay middleground, but look at the people in comments pointing out the wear on the trolley.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Not from nimbys

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

WTF Germany how did I not know this was a thing and why aren't we doing it here in the US?

Question though. Obviously the wires can't cover every road and the truck sometimes has to drive off the wired road. Do they have small batteries to carry them between the wires?

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There are 5 testing areas for this atm and only a handful of trucks which use that. These are hybrid trucks having batteries and electrical engines besides the main traditional diesel engine. So it's far from an widely adopted tech right now.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

If they can get that to work this can be massive, assuming we don't want to improve our rail infrastructure. It will also keep trucks from the passing lane

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

We’ve had these in Boston since I was a kid, but recently they’ve been taking down the wires.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Aren't those fro the T though? Or did bus routes use them too?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The busses out of Harvard station used them (71, 73, 75? and some others).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Silver line to the airport too, right?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

The wires aren’t for propulsion, but for recharging electric trucks.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

More about this from Tom Scott

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is this a trial or is it getting installed all over? It's the best solution to electrify goods transport by road. Only a small battery required for off grid to delivery point and back

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

It is a trial atm. On 5 highways in different areas, a few trucks.