During the Annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles on Monday, Siemens unveiled their new energy-efficient electric ‘eHighway’ for trucks that resembles the modern-day street car system found in cities around the world. Electric wires would be installed over designated highway lanes and the trucks would then be outfitted with an extension that connects to those wires. When connected, the trucks are able to switch from diesel power to electric and then back again when the wires end.
“When most people think of vehicle emissions, they assume cars do most of the damage, but it’s actually commercial trucks that are largely to blame,” says Daryl Dulaney, CEO, Siemens Infrastructure & Cities, United States. “Freight transportation on U.S. roadways is expected to double by 2050, while global oil resources continue to deplete. And by 2030, carbon dioxide emissions are forecasted to jump 30 percent due to freight transport alone.”
The ‘eHighway’ is currently being tested on roads in Germany and will now be implemented in a pilot program at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to connect to cargo centers.
