When choosing a truck for any purpose, you want to know that you’re getting a vehicle that can get the job done. One of the most important factors in making that decision is whether or not you’ll have enough engine power and torque to meet your needs. With electric trucks becoming more popular, you may wonder if these vehicles have the power you’re looking for.
Electric trucks do have excellent torque compared to gas or diesel-powered trucks. The superior torque performance of electric trucks comes down to an electric engine’s ability to produce instant torque. Such immediacy in torque generation makes electric trucks excellent for towing or hauling.
There are additional benefits to choosing an electric truck, such as increased efficiency and fewer maintenance requirements. Finally, I’ll give you more information about how electric engines produce optimal torque performance and this quickly-developing class of vehicles.
Electric Trucks: What You Need To Know
Almost anyone interested in the automotive world can tell you that gas-powered vehicles are at the top of the class regarding speed. However, the assumption that this means that the engines are overall more powerful or better performing is mistaken.
Here’s what you need to know to understand the unique advantages that electric trucks have over their competition:
1. Electric Engines Have Better Torque Performance Than Gas-Powered Engines
It seems intuitive for anyone who knows about engineering to assume that gas-powered engines produce better torque than electric engines. After all, the fastest engines tend to be gas-powered rather than electric. However, a better understanding of how electric engines work can clear up some common misconceptions.
The key difference between an electric engine and diesel or gas-powered one is how they generate the force necessary to turn the wheels and propel a vehicle forward.
An electric engine generates this force rapidly using electrical currents. Diesel and gas engines, on the other hand, use internal combustion. Because the series of combustions required to generate this force takes time, these engines take longer to build up the torque required to move.
2. Electric Trucks Benefit From Instant Torque
The engineering principles that go into an electric engine make a big difference in the smoothness and efficiency of the ride the truck gives you. The instant torque that an electric engine generates gives you the power you need on-demand at a moment’s notice.
Driving an electric truck makes this advantage clear. Because the engine doesn’t need to rev up to reach maximum torque as it does in an internal combustion engine, the vehicle will reach its full power nearly the instant you press the gas pedal.
3. Electric Trucks Reduce Energy Costs
Perhaps the most significant benefit electric vehicles offer is their ability to cut down on energy expenses. You don’t need to be an economist to know that gasoline, diesel, and other fuels used to power conventional trucks are costly resources. Moreover, given that these fuels come from finite natural resources, the cost will likely continue rising over time.
Compare this with the electricity that powers electric trucks. Electricity can come from a number of different sources, and new developments in renewable energy are making it more sustainable than ever. As green energy technology continues to develop, electric-powered vehicles are certain to be the way of the future.
4. Electric Vehicles Require Less Maintenance Than Gas-Powered Vehicles
Reducing the amount you spend on gas or diesel isn’t the only way electric trucks can boost economic efficiency. Electric engines also help reduce the time and expense of maintaining the engine and keeping it in good working order.
This difference also comes down to the way electric engines generate their power. Far less friction is generated by electric current generating power as opposed to the quite violent process of internal combustion. This reduces the vehicle’s components’ wear and tear and reduces maintenance requirements.
5. Certain Industries Have Used Electric Trucks for Decades
While you may think of electric trucks as being a newly-developed technology, that isn’t truly the case. Indeed, electric trucks are quickly becoming more widely adopted across all industries in recent years. However, the reality is that electric trucks have been fulfilling niche purposes for many years.
You’ve likely seen electric trucks before, even if you didn’t recognize them as such. For instance, forklifts are often electrically powered. In local areas, certain parts of the world also use trucks powered with electric batteries for milk delivery. Long-distance freight hauling has been the slowest type of trucking to adopt this technology, but this is changing as advances in battery technology continue to increase vehicle range.
6. Electric Trucks Are a Quickly-Growing Segment of the Economy
The innovations that are leading to new developments in electric trucks haven’t gone unnoticed. As new innovations allow electric trucks to reach new heights in terms of capability and higher-tech batteries allow the vehicles to achieve a greater range, more companies than ever are looking to get in on this growing market.
Some of the biggest names in the consumer vehicle industry have begun producing electric trucks of their own. This includes Ford with the Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevrolet with the Chevrolet Silverado Electric Pickup, as well as many other manufacturers. The electric truck market is projected to grow by more than a third by 2030, so expect more trucks to be developed in the near future.
Final Thoughts
There are several advantages that electric trucks offer. In addition to the energy efficiency that electric vehicles are known for, the engines that power these trucks are capable of producing instant torque. This makes electric trucks more responsive, not needing the time to rev up to get to full power that trucks powered by combustion engines do.
As new innovations for electric trucks continue to develop, these vehicles will become more common in all sectors of the economy. Expect to see the electric truck industry continue to grow in the future as a result.
Sources
- Auto Training Center: How Electric Cars Achieve Instant Torque
- Ezoomed: Why Is Torque Important in Electric Cars?
- Forbes: 7 Electric Pickup Trucks on the Horizon, Including Ford F-150 Lightning
- Research and Markets: Electric Trucks Market
- Bluebird Automotive: Electron E150
- Conger: 105 Types of Forklifts: The Complete List
