NL2021504B1

NL2021504B1 - Method for transporting goods with an electric or hybrid truck.

Info

Publication number: NL2021504B1
Application number: NL2021504A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Biewenga Qurein
Original assignee: Atlas Technologies Holding Bv
Priority date: 2018-08-28
Filing date: 2018-08-28
Publication date: 2020-04-24

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for transporting electric cars or car batteries with an electric truck. By using the electric energy of the cars or batteries to augment the batteries of the truck, the range of the truck is extended.

Description

Method fortransporting goods with an electric or hybrid truck.

Technical field of the invention.

[0001] The invention relates to a method for transporting goods with an electric or hybrid truck, the truck comprising one or more batteries.

Background of the invention.

[0002] Pollution in cities is a growing problem. Several cities are already taking measures to lower the pollution, amongst others by banning diesel cars and trucks from the inner cities. A solution would be to transport goods from their origin to the edge of the cities and then reload them to cleaner forms of transport, such as electric trucks or hybrid trucks. In terms of efficiency this is an undesirable solution, and it still causes pollution outside the city centers.

[0003] A better solution would be that all transport, from origin to destiny, is done with fully electric trucks. Fully electric trucks are already on the market, for example from EMOSS Mobile Systems BV, Oosterhout, the Netherlands, and several others are to be introduced in the near future.

[0004] A problem of the existing trucks is their limited range, in the range of 250 km, and their long charge times, in the range of 3 - 6 hours. It is noted that trucks with improved specifications are under development. However, it is to be expected that fully electric trucks will suffer from range limitations and long charging times for quite a while.

[0005] A solution to this problem is a so-called range-extenders. A range extender is an internal combustion engine (a diesel or petrol motor) used as a generator for an electric truck that charges the batteries of such a truck when needed, making the vehicle a hybrid truck. This is a solution in that full electric performance can be used in the cities, and hybrid performance outside the cities. This improves the before mentioned efficiency problem, but still causes pollution outside the city centers when the range extenders are used.

[0006] It is noted that such range extenders are already on the market, for example from Tevva Motors Ltd., Chelmsford. United Kingdom.

[0007] There is a need for a method to improve the range of an all-electric truck without causing pollution.

Summary of the invention.

[0008] To solve the above presented problem the present invention provides a method to enhance the range of an electric truck. To that end the method is characterized in that at least part of the goods comprises batteries and/or solar panels, and there are means too feed the truck at least part of the transport time with energy stored in the batteries or generated by the solar panels of at least part of the goods.

[0009] The range of the truck is, by using energy stored in or generated by the goods to be transported, extended.

[0010] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention the goods comprise one or more batteries for vehicles.

[0011] Such batteries are already suited for providing energy to electric motors and are thus well suited for augmenting the batteries of the truck.

[0012] In another embodiment of the method according to the invention the goods comprise one or more electric or hybrid vehicles.

[0013] Electric or hybrid vehicles comprise electric batteries which can store appreciable amounts of energy. By tapping this energy, the range of the truck is extended.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention the one or more electric of hybrid vehicles are provided with means to deliver energy to goods outside the vehicle.

[0015] For easy connection between truck and vehicle the vehicle should be capable to deliver energy to goods outside the vehicle. Vehicles capable to deliver energy in this manner are foreseen as there are already plans to use electric cars as storage batteries for households, implying that the energy that is stored in such a car is delivered back to the household at another time. It is remarked that in its simplest for a plug connector can deliver a voltage like the mains voltage, but that connection to the grid (to augment the grid) demands synchronization to the grid frequency.

[0016] In still a further embodiment of the method according to the invention the one or more electric of hybrid vehicles provide a voltage equal to the voltage with which the truck is normally charged.

[0017] This implementation would demand the least changes at the truck side.

[0018] In another embodiment of the method according to the invention the means comprise one or more plugs or connectors that are part of the truck and one or more corresponding connectors or plugs that are part of the one or more electric or hybrid vehicles, and the means further comprise cables for electrically connecting the plugs or connectors that are part of the truck and the connectors or plugs that are part of the one or more electric or hybrid vehicles.

[0019] Such cables enable flexible connections between the truck and the one or more electric or hybrid vehicles.

[0020] In still another embodiment of the method according to the invention the goods comprise a container equipped with batteries and/or solar panels.

Detailed description of the invention.

[0021] As mentioned before, pollution in densely populated areas is becoming more and more of a problem. One of the main polluters is the transport sector, more specifically transport by diesel trucks and diesel cars. As a solution to pollution in the transport sector the use of hybrid or, preferably, electric vehicles is introduced. As an example, electric coaches are used in many areas instead of diesel coaches, and electric trucks are introduced as a successor for trucks with internal combustion engines.

[0022] A problem arises in that the range of such trucks is rather limited. Current trucks have a range of less than 300 km and charging such a truck takes than the typical mandatory rest times of a truck driver in Europe. Therefore, there is a demand to extend the range to a range sufficiently large to fill a complete day (up to, for example, 1000 km), and then charge the truck at night.

[0023] Inventor came to the insight that, when the cargo comprises batteries or solar panels, and there are means to connect these with the internal electric system of the truck, this energy can be tapped to augment the energy of the trucks’ batteries.

[0024] A preferred use is a truck used for transport of electric (or hybrid) cars. Such a truck, also known as car truck or car carrier, can transport up to, for example, eight cars, depending on the type of truck. Using the batteries and/or the solar panel of the transported cars to augment or supplement the trucks’ own battery, the range is probably more than doubled (provided the cars are fully charged at the beginning of the transport). [0025] To enable a simple hook-up of the electric system of the truck with that of the cars, the cars preferably have an outlet that can be used to power external appliances. This is easiest implemented when the cars’ charging inlet can double as an output, and that the AC/DC converter of the car can double as an AC generator, making energy stored in its batteries available for external use.

[0026] Another application is when the cargo is a container equipped with a battery and/or a solar panel. Such a container can be used as a temperature controller container, but also as a container capable of supplementing the trucks’ batteries.

Claims

Conclusies.Conclusions.

1 Methode voor het transporteren van goederen met een elektrische of hybride truck, de truck een of meerdere batterijen bevattende, de methode gekenmerkt doordat ten minste een deel van de goederen batterijen en/of zonnepanelen bevatten, en er voorzieningen zijn om de truck tenminste een deel van de transporttijd tenminste gedeeltelijk te voeden met energie opgeslagen in de batterijen of opgewekt door de zonnepanelen van tenminste een deel van de goederen.1 Method for transporting goods with an electric or hybrid truck, the truck containing one or more batteries, the method characterized in that at least part of the goods contain batteries and / or solar panels, and there are provisions for the truck to contain at least part of the transport time at least partly to be fed with energy stored in the batteries or generated by the solar panels of at least part of the goods.

2. De methode volgens conclusie 1 waarin de goederen een of meer batterijen en/of zonnepanelen voor voertuigen omvatten.The method according to claim 1, wherein the goods comprise one or more batteries and / or solar panels for vehicles.

3. De methode volgens conclusie 1 waarin de goederen een of meer elektrische of hybride voertuigen omvatten.The method of claim 1 wherein the goods comprise one or more electric or hybrid vehicles.

4. De methode volgens conclusie 3 waarbij de een of meer elektrische of hybride voertuigen voorzien zijn van middelen om energie te leveren aan elektriciteit gebruikende goederen buiten het voertuig.The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more electric or hybrid vehicles are provided with means for supplying energy to electricity-using goods outside the vehicle.

5. De methode volgens conclusie 4 waarbij de een of meer elektrische of hybride voertuigen een spanning leveren overeenkomende met de spanning waarmee de truck normaal wordt opgeladen.The method of claim 4 wherein the one or more electric or hybrid vehicles provide a voltage corresponding to the voltage with which the truck is normally charged.

6. De methode volgens conclusie 5 waarbij de voorzieningen een of meer stekers of contrastekers aan de truckzijde omvatten, de een of meer voertuigen elk voorzien zijn van een steker of contrasteker, en de middelen verder een of meer kontaktsnoeren omvatten waarmee de stekers en/of contrastekers van de truck enerzijds en de een of meer voertuigen anderzijds elektrisch met elkaar verbonden kunnen worden.The method according to claim 5, wherein the provisions comprise one or more plugs or mating connectors on the truck side, the one or more vehicles each comprising a plug or mating connector, and the means further comprising one or more contact cords with which the plugs and / or sockets of the truck on the one hand and the one or more vehicles on the other can be electrically connected to each other.

7. De methode volgens conclusie 1 waarbij de goederen een container uitgerust met batterijen en/of zonnepanelen omvatten.The method according to claim 1, wherein the goods comprise a container equipped with batteries and / or solar panels.