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Battery Powered Trains may be a thing soon

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  1. #11

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    Random thought - does it not make sense to have battery packs installed in the carriages and linked up? Easier to charge smaller units which can be switced in and out rather than huge battery packs?


  2. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by East_coast:
    Isn't the question more around batteries allowing easier replacement of diesel electric rather than traditional electrification.
    Sure that too, I was just wondering how it would compare to traditional overhead wires in emission.

  3. #13

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    No, they have not solved hydrogen storage issues, at least not for mass usage. If hydrogen was easy to store, Teslas would have used hydrogen as would other automakers. The fact hydrogen powered cars remain in the experimental stage while electric cars are now available to the consumers tell you everything.

  4. #14

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    The hydrogen powered Mirai just set a new world record (was achieved in August but only verified by Guiness this week). Now there are only about 15,000 hydrogen powered vehicles produced per year (vs 4 million electric and 100 million electric/diesel) but by 2030 should be price parity with electric vehicles and then hydrogen has a lot of advantages over electric that might make them the eventual winner.

    https://www.news.com.au/technology/m...4c4f268f67e9d4

    East_coast likes this.

  5. #15

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    Not trains but planes, but seems relevant

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0...at_campaign=64


  6. #16

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    Ars Technica has this article. From what I can understand ... seems like a 3D chess opportunity with lots of arbitrage and battery relocation logistics needed.

    All of this would add considerable levels of complexity to the task of supplying freight companies with the energy needed to do their primary job of moving material around. Getting the most out of the batteries might involve constantly running the numbers on electricity and diesel prices and comparing the result to charging capacity and shipping deadlines. But if done right, the idea has the potential to bring zero emissions to an otherwise difficult-to-decarbonize form of transportation.
    https://arstechnica.com/science/2021...big-batteries/