Electric truck battery swapping is QUICK ⏱️

Video Description

If you're a skilled truck driver you can probably refuel a diesel truck in less than seven minutes but that's still far too slow for Etrucks! This kiwi importer of electric trucks & battery powered heavy equipment now have a new battery swapping system in action and Gav went see it exchange some huge truck batteries in real time - with a stopwatch! Controlled by computers and lasers, this surprisingly simple-looking system houses up to four batteries and can exchange & charge each battery in around two hours with a high power DC charger connected. The entire operation is entirely self-controlled and automated as well. This means the driver simply pulls up and the machine measures and detects the kind of battery, then a compact crane moves into position and hoists the flat battery out. A freshly charged battery is then put in its place, allowing the driver to carry on working without getting out - or getting diesel on their hands. And while electric passenger cars are now commonplace in New Zealand, it's only recently that battery chemistry improvements have allowed for electric trucks to become a reality, too. Added to that are benefits such as reduced driver downtime & fatigue, plus virtually zero fuel costs make it unsurprising that China is quietly ramping up adoption of battery powered heavy haulage. Although while China may be leaping ahead in pushing battery powered, well, everything, it remains to be seen whether kiwis are ready for electric trucks & battery swapping. Could it perhaps be a bridge too far (and too soon)? Only time will tell - and likely much sooner than the industry expects. If you're keen on cutting your carbon footprint, come and join us at Ecotricity, which is now New Zealand's only climate positive electricity provider! That means by switching today, you're actually turning back the clock on Climate Change, while saving money in the process. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it's not! Ecotricity is real, with really affordable electricity, thanks to it being purely renewable. Head to https://www.ecotricity.co.nz and chuck in your address to see how much money & carbon you can save right now. It's that easy and it makes a real, positive difference for the next generation. Contents: 0:00 - Intro 0:30 - An electric truck arrives! 1:10 - The battery swap begins 3:03 - Charging during storage 4:00 - Fresh battery being loaded 5:22 - How much does it cost? 5:54 - Walking inside the machine