Thanks for watching and let me know what you think of Edison Motors? I know they aren't in production yet, but this is the best concept design I have seen from any manufacturer yet.

@Hybris51129

5 ай бұрын

I really like the concept of the truck and the work that has gone to make it a realistic rig for the work they are going after. That said within the last month or so I have started to see more signs of company rot like talking about "Responsibility to the community" and signs that the inventor/CEO is getting drunk on social media attention verses just putting out a great product and letting it speak for itself. I hope things improve but the realist in me expects for him to eventually step in it bad enough that it will cause everything to fall apart.

@brahmvandop100

5 ай бұрын

Chase gets it. He is doing everything with the end user in mind. Which is always good for business.

@ThePackageLives

5 ай бұрын

I love the passion they have to actually build a truck that will be easier to work on.

@edgartaylor7421

5 ай бұрын

In one video he said the pickup truck engine would be a cat 3.3l out of a skid steer or mini excavator

@Raymond-eo5gw

5 ай бұрын

The plan currently is the Caterpillar C3.6. The C9 in topsy was replacing the C15 (and equivalent) size engine. Keeping with around a 40% reduction in size, puts in that category. That’s for a 1 ton setup. If a 1/4 / 1/2 setup comes (Ranger/F-150) you could probably go smaller as well. Depending on how you want it kitted out.

The Edison trucks actually look like they were designed by people who know what truck drivers and transportation companies want. The Tesla "truck" is a non-solution looking for a non-existent non-problem.

@mikemuzzell5167

5 ай бұрын

The guy is a driver/ owner. I’m pretty sure he still hauls logs. And makes great units.

@pootispiker2866

5 ай бұрын

The Tesla semi was designed by board room members. Forget battery fires, does that putrid Muskrat realize how important it is to get out of a truck after a rollover? He only put one door on the Tesla.

@alternatemusicaddict5226

5 ай бұрын

That’s because it was

@saff226

5 ай бұрын

​@@pootispiker2866the tesla semi is designed to be the most efficient semi on earth. The cab is fine for its use case of running between city distribution centres.

@samuelberghuvud5527

4 ай бұрын

Trucks made by Truckers

Fun fact: one of the things Chase said back in the day was that when designing the truck they were taking inspiration from Pacific Trucks, a Canadian manufacturer that went out of business way back in the '90s. Pacific trucks were made-to-order, so normally it would be a clusterf- to get parts for it. BUT Pacific made them to outlast the owners, therefore they still have ALL THE SPEC SHEETS AND ALL THE BLUEPRINTS OF EVERY SINGLE TRUCK THEY MADE. So theoretically you can find a half-rotten Pacific log truck in the middle of a forest, but as long as it has a VIN-plate on it, you can have all the parts made based on the ORIGINAL BLUEPRINTS.

@Slane583

4 ай бұрын

They remind me of the similar looking old AutoCar heavy-duty trucks used in logging as well as the early Euclid quarry dumpers. They don't have the same graceful looks as a full on road truck but their simple lines and angled panels make them look tough and to the point. I also like what they did with the windows on the front of the cab, it reminds me of a Cat D11 quarry dozer. :)

@zamboughnuts

4 ай бұрын

I can definitely see the inspiration from Pacific.

I think they have gone back to the basics - made it utilitarian (do the job and get rid of all the unnecessary bells and whistles), and keep it designed so that the mechanic can work on it when it needs repairs. It will be really interesting to see the pickup truck prototype!

@fhuber7507

4 ай бұрын

If they just take an existing truck body and make a drop-in power system... at an affordable price.

@CaseyBDook

4 ай бұрын

​@@fhuber7507the kit is a heavy-duty pickup kit. 3 tonne axles? Not cheap compared to a 50k Tacoma but much less than a new F 550- 650.

@clydecraft5642

3 ай бұрын

"do something really expensive, but not expensive this time but keeping the quality"@@fhuber7507

I think most engineers would love to design vehicles that are simple, durable and easy to service. Unfortunately, they are often directed to produce something that is inexpensive to manufacture, difficult to service without proprietary knowledge, and sadly, built to fail at a predetermined time. It looks like Edison Motors, at this stage in development, has avoided that.

@Brazzelkanal

4 ай бұрын

Automotive engineer here, yes, we could engineer something like this, and as someone who worked in the naval field too, there are areas where serviceability and robustness is key. But on the other hand, the market in general demands the stuff we design, maximum comfort for lowest price and has just to last for five years because that's the "first life quadrant". Quite often as a leasing vehicle. After that, service is a secondary requirement, because it is not serviced by the manufacturer anymore. So most efficient/cheap manufacturing and low total cost of ownership for the first user is the primary objective. An example of quality first in the "truck" area is the Mercedes Unimog and Zetros, they are built with 100% dependability in mind, but they are niche products for fire fighters, disaster protection, community services like snow plowing, off grid works, infrastructure service and of course military.

@jlo13800

4 ай бұрын

Finally a 2 stroke that can be started and ran n either direction and eliminated a revers gear. Also dry sump and oil injected! While not as powerful as electric motors it’s powerful and fun enough for me!

@MmMerrifield

3 ай бұрын

Yeah I don't think they have to make money for any shareholders currently

@aimless-drifter

3 ай бұрын

Off-highway mining equipment engineer here, there are lot of different types of mining vehicles, haulers, loaders, drills, etc. of different sizes. It's not easy to gather enough knowledge from what is best for the end users to incorporate into the designs. We do our best to reach out the service techs, but there is only so much we can do.

@paulkoopmans4620

Ай бұрын

yeah...Exactly! I am seconding that many engineers in many different fields are forced into that. This happens in electrical where a design that calls for certain parts and then either get replaced or even left out completely, just to save a couple of cents per unit. As a software developer I also can say it happens there.

These guys are local to me & there isn't another company I want to succeed more than them! We've got an EV Peterbilt in the fleet & it's sooo underwhelming compared to these!

@InsaneBimmer

5 ай бұрын

Electric Pete? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@darinhassett4708

5 ай бұрын

Roseburg Forest Products in Dillard Oregon has an ev but has a normal axle I think Topsy would blow the truck out of the water

Where the diesel emissions are concerned, he explained that they largely do not apply because the engine is technically an ad on generator. Similar to how your old Bobcat Lincoln welder can be added to any modern service truck and not effect the emissions standard of the actual truck.

@wild_lee_coyote

5 ай бұрын

Also because it’s a generator it can work at its peak optimum rpm and can be tuned for emissions. Most emissions come from low rpm and high loads on diesel motors. Think of all that black smoke from unburnt fuel as a truck gets going. But if you see one smoking going down the highway then you know the engine is blown. If you plan on living in California then you can get a generator with better emissions. Don’t forget you are not constantly running the generator, so all things being equal you will be getting less emissions just because you are running the diesel less often and when you do it’s in it optimum power band.

@kstricl

4 ай бұрын

@@wild_lee_coyote And if California forces emissions onto diesel generators, you can still generate power while doing a regen. In future too, if the California grid can actually handle charging everything, you can pull the genset out, add batteries for range and don't have to replace the truck.

@jlo13800

4 ай бұрын

Yeah and it’s a 2 stroke too and oil injected with castor 927 maxima and that is what I would if I found one of these! Not this 15w40 like water 4 stroke shit! I hate 4 stroke even in trucks.

@BigRedtheGinger

3 ай бұрын

So basically, it's seen as an APU on a lot of OTR/sleeper trucks, right?

@sabiti5428

3 ай бұрын

​@@BigRedtheGinger yes. It's an auxiliary engine.

They convert the AC from the engine to DC then back to AC because you need to vary the AC frequency to control AC motor speed. Its easier to chop DC up onto variable AC then it is to convert say 50Hz AC to variable AC. Also the generator speed on the engine will vary the hertz as well. They use HRC fuses instead of breakers for several reasons. Big breakers wont like rough roads for long spans of time. Also HRC fuses are glass filled as well because they do have to break at 600 or so amps but if you have a motor short it could pump several thousand amps which would arc through the breaker. Been working on electric drive trucks in mining for a while now. Its a very similar setup minus the battery

@Madmax_402

5 ай бұрын

Having worked on locomotives, fuses are for safety as well. You get someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing and try and reset a breaker with a short and end up seeing the sun and meeting their god.

@BlackEpyon

4 ай бұрын

Yeah, as convenient as breakers are, you gotta remember that you're not just replacing the fuse, you ALSO have to find and fix the fault that blew the fuse in the first place!

Edison also uses the CAT solar panels for another line of work they do of supplying back up or remote power units for construction and small villages. Glad you gave them another look and saw what they are doing now. Many people are confused and compare it to the GM Locomotive idea of running the generator full time to supply the electric drive, but that is not what they do.

@ac0rpbg

4 ай бұрын

That is wishful thinking tho. This generator will most probably have to run non stop when hauling a load. Similar to how the huge mining trucks work. Unless you put a lot of batteries which is expensive and is not viable for long haul as you will have to replace $100k worth of batteries every 2 years. Pure diesel semis are more efficient and more eco friendly than diesel electric and that's why in Europe where it is stricter than Cali all semis are diesel, and there is not even a talk about making them electric

@CaseyBDook

4 ай бұрын

​@@ac0rpbghighway about a half hour for 2 hours driving. In the mountains where it was designed to be used you could get away without running the generator at all if the load is heavy and the mountain road is long with a steep grade. 50% better fuel economy highway more off road. Opinions are cool but facts are available.

@jlo13800

4 ай бұрын

Wow a 2 stroke electric truck nice and dry sump oil injected too!

Love it, I've been saying for years someone should build a truck with a diesel generator and electric drive.. we need more of this in the world

I love the Edison motors is all about the right to repair in keeping things simple not over engineered

Deboss Garage is working with Edison on the pickup kits. They have already put out at least one video on how they plan to work together.

The pickup kits are retrofit, no need for an engine. Just replacing the transmission with a generator and the axles with e-axles. They're only doing 3/4 and 1 ton trucks as well. I'd like to be on the installer network. Their concept makes sense to me for a more immediate green solution

Josh, yes i think Edison Motors is really on to something here. As far as pick up truck conversions... think of generator packs used in small boats. Self contained, 2, 3, or 4 cylinder ( Kubota, commonly ) blocks with generator back ends, wrapped in a "quite" box. 3000 to 9000 running watts. Enough to keep batteries charged. The gen gets mounted under the hood. Batteries (Lithium ) with inverters and controls, mounted in a bed mounted "tool" box and 1 ( for 2wd) or 2 ( for 4wd) axles, mounted between the wheels. The Edison guy already knows which axels and where to get them. The ecu's (brain boxes) are small and can go anywhere. Once engineered, is really a simple mechanical process for install. We get to keep our pick up trucks that we love and give a big FU to manufacturers selling 80 - 100K $$ pick ups. You will wind up spending less than buying new, get WAY better milage, much less service costs, and more reliability! This guy is a genius!

VERY happy to see you featuring these guys, Josh! I've been following them for a while now and they are genuinely the only ones doing it right--listen to what owner/operators actually want and need, not some BS for the shareholders. These dudes are going places!

I heard Chase explain that the diesel engine in topsy is considered an accessory power unit similar to any onboard generator thus bypassing emission standards the topsy cab was designed by an internet submission competition and online vote

I'm glad we're seeing some experimentation in the diesel-electric area instead of just ICE/EV. Trains already showed us at least in some situations it's not only workable, but very efficient as well. Hopefully we can transfer most of those improvements and gains as more work and research is done, luckily we've already learned a lot through marine/train engineering.

@carlthor91

5 ай бұрын

Diesel electric has been used for years, in open pit haul trucks. Before they perfected large drive trains.

@iannjahn1190

5 ай бұрын

Some new heavy equipment has diesel electric which is neat John Deeres I think it's called a 944J big wheel loader that's like the size of a building has diesel electric

@RichardGood6761

5 ай бұрын

#1 too many rigs and roads. Period. Disaster. Power outages. Enjoy

@joel387ktm

4 ай бұрын

Those tesla semis are such a joke its pathetic elon is the worlds biggest scammer

@keinbilligfilm2010

3 ай бұрын

Diesel- electric powertrains have way more losses than diesel- mechanic ones. The reason they are used in locomotives is because a transmission couln't help but break (like many did in the early years of trains) and electric motors provide full torque at 0 rpm. Something you don't need in a truck, because you are moving much lighter loads. Diesel- electrics maybe make sense if you are - for example - in a caterpillar or something. You know, where you would be shifting very much or going back and forth the whole day. But a truck drives on the highway. There isn't much shifting. You go 60 mph or something (I don't know the average truck speed in the US) and the engine is already in his optimal speed range and very efficient. Open pit haul trucks are diesel- electrics because of the amount of torque applied. So the same reason like in trains

One thing to bear in mind is that Topsy is an off highway truck not a road truck. Emissions requirements may differ. For mining or logging operations these will typically be used on site only. Road trucks would typically be responsible for transport to processing facilities.

@Nun195

4 ай бұрын

If it’s licensed to drive on the roads it has to meet road emissions.

@genis8530

4 ай бұрын

Then you put an engine that meets emissions requirements in.

@fredbecker607

3 ай бұрын

They now have it registered and road legal.

I think these guys are really on to something...I also think it's the kind of idea that would be threatening to conventional wisdom about trucks and truck manufacturing. They are promoting the idea of making existing vehicles last much longer and that could make them a target.

@BlackEpyon

4 ай бұрын

Runaway capitalism is a blight upon society, and I ain't even a socialist! The nice thing about being in Canada is that it doesn't matter a lick what big corpo in America thinks. They can't buy out senators to shut Edison down through hostile legislation because that's not how politics works up here!

I think this is an awesome concept! I've been mulling over industrial truck EV design stuff in my head for a while. It seems Edison Motors has a lot of really good ideas on how to do this with a modularity, pragmatism, right-to-repair focused design ethos. I'm very excited to see how this comes along.

Honestly never understood why these "botique" companys want a tron like design that requires 3 PHDs and an entire heavy machinery shop to change a damn headlight. What makes me like edison and their design is if they are true to their word they will have a simple easy to repair and easy to modify design that is frankly just practical and does the job. Im buying a work truck not a blasted luxury rolls royce. I want a bed to sleep in, i want a fridge for chow, and i want it to work and be able to be worked on. Anything else is bloody stupid.

These guys are definitely killing it in this space. Love them. And yeah, people don’t seem to get you’ve done a video on them before 😂 Hope all is well sir!

When i see one doing outback runs in Australia, ill be inpressed.

@Hick25

4 ай бұрын

why wouldn’t it?

I feel that investing in Edison would be a very wise decision. With the market stepping back from Full EV and taking a much harder look at true hybrid technology; I feel that Edison may grow exponentially faster than we think.

I do think engineers want to make it simple to work on a lot of times, most of the time it’s management that wants more complications for profit reasons

@Demopans5990

4 ай бұрын

Because like a lot of other people, engineers are lazy

I stumbled across your channel early last year. as a truck driver and former owner, I've always been a huge Caterpillar fan and really like your content. I've been a fan of Edison Motors since I first saw their first videos, but I'm not a mechanic. it's interesting hearing a mechanic's perspective on this idea and hearing an objective opinion as well.

I'm extremely excited to see where this tech will go. It's a freight train with the ability to regen break and has stored energy. Should be extremely efficient if everything works as it should.

I'd argue that it's Electric with a Range Extender,, not a hybrid (engine never powers wheels). I drove a 79' International Quad-dump that had basically same chassis, loved it, was so strong and simple

@thebigmacd

5 ай бұрын

It's technically a "series hybrid". It's considered a hybrid vs diesel-electric because it can drive from battery power.

Canadian emission regs. mostly follow the US Regs. also if you are running a current emissions spec engine under the hood the DPF and DEF is less of a problem as you are running a engine under load, at speed, and in the ideal power band, keeping the exhaust hot, which keeps the DPF cleaner with less regens

Great video, glad to hear a fellow mechanic feels the same way about Edison!

Great briefing on Edison Motors. I've been following their progress for some time. They are the best of what I've seen. A lot of good comments.

I would never own one myself. But would love to invest in the company. I hope they do well

Already have my reservation for the pickup truck !!

I’m a huge fan of Edison Motors and the guys that designed that are guys that have been around trucks, and worked on trucks. Looking forward to seeing what they do next. Thanks for your videos.

I love this idea. Great looks and how easy it is to service and as a new technician in training I rather be paid less to work on a nice simple job then a job that requires to much down time. Great video 👍

Yep, Bob's Burgers actually did an episode about Topsy... It wasn't the most accurate, but they got it kinda right... Thanks for sharing... Keep up your awesomeness...

The part of going uphill with the logging truck is that you carry the heavy batteries uphill before getting it back going downhill.

This is great. I’ve been following Edison Motors for a while now. It’s a great design. Consumer availability will be better than what Tesla will offer with their truck.

@miguellopez3392

3 ай бұрын

edison motors will not reach anywhere near the consumer availability at their production level.

These guys are true pioneers....I wish them luck ....Could very well be the future of trucks

Interesting! Time will tell. The success of this design will revolve around the batteries. Guaranteed!

This is the most sensible way forward, no heavy hydrogen tank etc, just use existing technology and equipment because it is capable of doing the job. It’s got the ability to go into towns without running an engine, then the power for long haul. It’s great to see this being done, but I don’t think we’ll ever see it in Britain as ‘the old school ties’ won’t make money off it, and will find excuses to stop it. The pickup probably only needs a 2 litre diesel generator, depending on the battery size,remember the generator isn’t running full time, so can be much higher tune.

Josh the comment about the drive motors and the AC vs DC issue. after my experience with the CAT D7E and some sawmill equipment is you can step the phases on a 3 phase for acceleration deceleration, which also allows for regeneration to go as you correctly stated to the storage which is DC you got access to CAT bet there lots of good info on the D7e and theory of how it works. great video as always!

I have to agree that Edison Motors is going to really shake things up when it comes to these markets. I have been following them for a while and am excited to see how far they will go. I see a very bright future for them as long as they stick to their roots. I wish them the best of luck in the future.

Phil from Australia here, Great channel! I always enjoy your content and professional explanations, keep up the good work! I’m an electrical mechanic/ electrician. I look for problems and solve them, I can’t help but notice the EV lithium batteries are stored adjacent to the diesel tanks? I realise load distribution is key but damn that’s gonna create a catastrophic mess if and when one lithium cell goes into thermal runaway!

@bent1208

3 ай бұрын

I’m not sure how far apart they are but the batteries are located inside the frame rail and on air suspension. Would be curious if they are considering this in their designs.

I’ve owned, driven, worked on trucks for 20+ years. These guys definitely have the best ideas of any EVs in big trucks. There’s good and bad things I can see about that truck. I’ve worked on some old Pete’s and Autocars with butterfly hoods. They look cool and nostalgic but are absolutely miserable to work on. I think a standard cab setup would be better. You occasionally do carry a passenger plus there’s no room in that cab for anything. Most importantly though driving in the center is kind of hard to get used to. I understand being simple but the open air lines and mechanical gauges on top of the dash are probably a little much.

@blister762

5 ай бұрын

DEBOSS Garage did a video on Topsy on their channel. Diesel electric semi everything you want to know, somthing like that. It talks about why butterfly hoods center seating and open airlines. The main reason being its still just a proto type. They discuss why they use 1/2" thick steel for the frame rails. They talk about being able to upgrade existing older and new rigs with their power plants. It's a 49 minute video, watch it. They haul a 100000lb load while the tesla can only haul 80000lbs. It's a great vid.

@BlackEpyon

4 ай бұрын

You gotta remember that Topsy is a logging truck, not a long-hauler.

Very very cool looking truck! Looks like it would be very cool to drive.

Legendary design outstanding and applicable concept, the best integration of battery electric tech that I’ve seen. Excellent video, looking forward to future updates!!

Man... As a german mechanic who worked on Trucks and agricultural equipment for many years (when I say I worked on this, I actually mean in Germany you have to be an aprentice for 3.5 years to even qualify yourself for working on this stuff, not like "Sure, I helped my uncle once who had a workshop") I never saw this many red flags in my life! 1. These steel grated air lines do indeed wear. Especially the way that they are just stuffed into there. They are bent way too much. If you wanted to use something, that does't wear much, you'd better use a steel pipe. Still easy to acces, you can achieve way tighter turn radius without compromising the material, still very easy to service, looks cleaner and is way cheaper (even if you go to a random workshop and tell them "custom build this for me" or at least should be) 2. The hood design is bs. You do not have a "little workbench" you have a massive bump in your back when you have to service something that is not above your kneehight. Like for example 3/4 of the engine. Changing oil also seems like an achievement for this one. Believe me, I worked on forestry harvesters before. They are also built like this. 3. "You can fit a natural gas engine in here" - well yeah. you can. however, it will either not produce the necessary output for this or will not be economicly viable. Or - third option - it won't fit in into there. If you would put a battery in this little engine room, you'd probably have 0.5 Miles of range. 4. This thing looks like it is way too heavy. I don't mean like a "I'm an european, our cars are so small, why do you drive a F150?" Whatever. The total weight for a truck is regulated. Even in the USA. Because of bridges and stuff. You won't be allowed to pull the same amount of cargo, if your truck is heavier. The Tesla Truck has the same problem. 5. Diesel- electric powertrains have way more losses than diesel- mechanic ones. The reason they are used in locomotives is because a transmission couln't help but break (like many did in the early years of trains) and electric motors provide full torque at 0 rpm. Something you don't need in a truck, because you are moving much lighter loads (especially with this truck as stated above). Diesel- electrics maybe make sense if you are - for example - in a caterpillar or something. You know, where you would be shifting very much or going back and forth the whole day. But a truck drives on the highway. There isn't much shifting. You go 60 mph or something (I don't know the average truck speed in the US) and the engine is already in his optimal speed range and very efficient. 6. No mechanic will know his way around this thing. Sure. The Engine - no problem. But no one who works on trucks knows how to service or repair an electric powertrain. If one does then maybe he worked on locomotives before - but i wish you very good luck with that. I mean you could also go to a train workshop with this thing, but they wouln't help you, because they are owned by Union Pacific or BNSF or something and dont give a damn about your truck. It's not like there are indipendent garages for trains. "We want to set up a dealership service network" ... Sure buddy. Lol. What do you want to do? Train people on stuff they never seen before and think, the two times in their lifes, when they actually set this thing up, they will do it perfectly. And they have to do it like ... perfect. We're talking about high voltage and steel. In conclusion this thing doen't look like "This thing was built by a mechanic, not an engineer - YEAH!!1!" It looks more like this thing was built by a fool

Simple is not what vehicles are today. All the screens and electronics are expensive and really not needed when you want something to do real work. Simple and easy to fix is what a work vehicle should always be.

been waiting for your input on Topsy for a while man, thoroughly going to enjoy this video

For anyone finding this video later on, Deboss Garage has come onboard to help with developing the pickup swap kit. No one better to help with designing a swap kit than a mechanic that does odd swaps.

Well done truck. Thanks for explaining and sharing.

Love how much attention Edison Motors has been getting recently. Hopefully getting more people to like this idea.

I'd be concerned about having all that electrical stuff in the headache rack if you got in a wreck and the load came forward and crushed the doors and shorted out all the stuff. I'd put a screwed in switch plate into the dash to access the back of the toggle switches too.

I keep up with them. The pickup conversion idea got pushed forward because they could buy a lot more volume. He did a video “ economy of scale”

I love the concept. I have wondered why this hasn't been done a long time ago. That would be cool if they brought cat engines back to on highway trucks

@superjesus4307

5 ай бұрын

Because its inefficient compared to a conventional transmission. The ONLY reason to have this setup is if something requires a period of electric-only driving.

@AlexKall

5 ай бұрын

Hybrid trucks have been done before by several manufacturers.

@SimJDKS

5 ай бұрын

@@superjesus4307ice engines have a very limited power band and an even narrower efficiency band. Hence the need to even have a transmission. So yes, if you only had to hold one rpm at the perfect part of the curves and be at the speed you want, that works well. Sadly that is not the case most of the time. Now, having all of what they are doing the next major advantage is energy recovery. Every single slow down an ice vehicle does is a waste of power, heat, material. Electric saves all that. True, there is some loss in converting the power, some loss in storing the power, but that electric drive is hyper efficient.

@enduro22re

5 ай бұрын

100%​@@superjesus4307

@saff226

5 ай бұрын

​@@superjesus4307a series hybrid is far more efficient then a transmission. Like half the fuel usage

I'm thinking for the pickups/service trucks they could use a onan, powertech generator type setup used in RVs especially big bus type(usually kubota or yanmar diesel engines) to drive the generator to charge batteries. The way I look at it, kinda like a thermoking or carrier unit is to a refrigerated trailer. Those diesels that power the compressors arent very big but, can last a very long time. I could see a yanmar or kubota fitting easily in my 94 c3500.....but, the 6.5TD isnt going anywhere anytime soon😂. As always awesome video!

@arthurwagar88

4 ай бұрын

I have a 93 GMC 3500 Uhaul that I've converted to Butane. Going to put my flatbed tow truck pan on it. Upgrade from an 84 Chevy.

Pretty certain the power flow is Battery to feed the drives but the front Diesel genny also feeds the drive through the same inverters. The DC - DC side is to feed all the low voltage DC needs that the 600-800VDC dropped down to. Fuses are required with DC, breakers struggle to break DC as it draws an arc and needs compressed air to break/blow. HRC fuses are powder filled that stop arcing.

Been watching his build for a few months now... This guy is like the next Elon.

The plastic push shark fittings are so awesome when they work and you’re in a tight spot but, when the truck has a million miles and they’re starting to fail and leak, they do nothing but cause anxiety. Cool video Josh. I’ve been somewhat following this build and I love the idea of this. If it’s cheap enough and I can run a PTO driven pneumatic blower, I’d absolutely do this to my W9. It would pay for itself in no time and it’d make the old school looking trucks more useable to the newer generation where fuel mileage is so important. 5mpg sucks so bad but, I don’t think I’d ever be happy in an aero truck.

@PickupsAreNotTrucks

5 ай бұрын

@StavSoldOut impressive. Can’t imagine that’s the norm. If it is, maybe I will park the W9! 🤣

@kregsmith3991

5 ай бұрын

I got 12.5mpg in my 95 kw900L with a 3406E bobtail going 90km lol it can be done in diffrent circumstances

@darinhassett4708

5 ай бұрын

yes but whats your GVWR min is 105500 we are lucky to get 7mpg normally its around 5.5mpg@StavSoldOut

I think having the ability to go emissions free for picking up or dropping loads in high population denisity areas and then the hybrid system used for the highways or byways is brilliant. I'm amped to to keep up with watt is going on even though my professional driving days are done.

Thank you Josh for your point of view. Edison Motor is very interesting.

Home heroes here in BC. Awesome looking product and I hope they go the distance.

Thank you for taking the time to review this. Very good to hear your view. I've been following Edison Motors for a few months now. I love the enthusiasm they put into their product. What I like most is the style, the simplicity and the right -to-work. Automotive companies have invested so much money to push out those of us who work on our own rigs. It's down right shameful.

Awesome truck for its purpose. Not sure about OTR, but time will tell. I like the Cat C9 powerplant, but I think they will have to move off of that pretty quick. I'm thinking about what happened to the glider industry using pre-DEF engines. I wish them the best as I have wondered for years why we don't see a car industry around diesel/electric propulsion. I know that diesel cars are not favored in the USA, but I think d/e cars would be popular in at least Europe. Thank you for the video, Josh. Always enjoyable.

@jaydunbar7538

5 ай бұрын

The generator is exactly that, a generator and thus has to follow generator rules. Hybrid is not a new thing to heavy duty use so the regs are already in existence answering the questions.

@dmacpher

3 ай бұрын

@@jaydunbar7538it’s how trains have operated for decades.

#RightToRepair love that statement!

I been subscribed to Edison right from the start. Progress Rail [CAT] loco concept....in a truck. haha. Keep up the great work Josh.

Specific use vehicles like the logging truck makes good sense for hybrid electrics. Trains and many ships have used this system for years. My opinion is that it is overkill for light duty applications but could be useful in certain conditions like coming and going in underground storage facilities or delivering into buildings. The major problem I see right now for this is the battery fire potential that has been proven to be a problem of being able to extinguish the fires. Maybe the salt battery or the solid state will solve this.

@superjesus4307

5 ай бұрын

Trains and ships are not hybrids, they are diesel with an electric transmission.

The idea of having a "plug-in hybrid" semi truck is super clever! All the advantages of electric but also solves the range problem.

The Edison truck is basically a Chevy Volt of the semi truck. Everything he explained about how each system works (minus air brakes) is how my 2013 chevy volt works. The gasoline motor in my volt is basically a generator that recharges the lithium batteries, which then use the electric power upon demand, or recharge upon deceleration.

@EliotTruelove

5 ай бұрын

Diesel electric is much more efficient than a gas electric as Diesel works better under sustained rpms

Josh, if I recall correctly, there's no alternator or fan belts on the C9, he was going for a clean look.

I been following these guys darn near since the beginning. They get it and they got a winner in my opinion

23:40 well that depends, i priced out parts a couple years ago and for something close to a Tesla with a used motor, electronics and battery modules it was a little above 20k but a old pickup can definitely get in for way less depending on specs.

There's two ways they can do the trucks, one way is (and would be a more cost effective way) is to make a conversion kit that has the E-Axle battery/inversion box and a Generator with a custom cnc milled adaptor plate that is for your truck's engine of choice. or they offer a generator with your choice of fuel engine and give you a motor mount adapter kit.

@BlackEpyon

4 ай бұрын

They were discussing that idea as well. It's not as efficient, but it can be made to work.

From an investor's perspective, there's the caveat that easily sourced parts would ensure you're not locked in to the manufacturer's ecosystem. It basically means that you're not still paying the company even after you've purchased the product; investors might not think that's a good idea because none of them are thinking about what an easily serviceable product means to the world and only the dollar amount rising forever. From a company's, user's or mechanic's perspective, it's the best thing in the world. Utility vehicles should be utilitarian and not so perplexing that businesses crumble purely through the cost of repairing the things they depend on to transport product and materials around the world. I would love to see them expand in to farm equipment.

Very nifty, I’m not much of a mechanics person (my specialty is in biochemistry) but it is enjoyable to see something designed with repair in mind, not many companies do that these days preferring that the customer go through their (often overpriced) repair service. I would like to see some ergonomics improvements in the dashboard but definitely keep the simplicity, and I would like to see a version with a sleeping quarters since I’m curious how they’d tackle it. Overall a breath of fresh air that a company would actually design a product that can easily be repaired and maintained all while benefiting from the fuel economy of an electric vehicle.

I think Edison Motors are doing an amazing job of making a new truck, as well as their offering of a conversion kit for both semi's and pickup trucks. I'm pleased to see that they are getting more attention and coverage of their efforts.

Center driver position makes a lot of sense in the concrete mixer trucks. Just look at Oshkosh & Terex.

Edison's approach makes a lot of sense. So much versatility built into one package. The only concern I have is using hydraulic style hoses on the air brake system. I would prefer nylon tubing with brass compression fittings

@patrickmoran8790

5 ай бұрын

What they're calling hydraulic hoses on the air system looks more like Stratoflex that has been around since the 70's. The ends are reusable because of thread together design. the hose specific to the Stratoflex system is a lot more durable than nylon air line, and is also acceptable for diesel fuel line usage. The downside is that not everyone has access to the hose that is specific to the ends.

@NotSureJoeBauers

5 ай бұрын

Their airlines won't have problems for the next 60 years though.

@JasonTAho

5 ай бұрын

@@patrickmoran8790 now that you mention it, I believe I heard in one of Edisons videos they are using a hose like that. I'm curious wether that would be DOT approved for air systems tho. Seems like corrosion was a concern with steel fittings. Also, size of the lines is something else I'm wondering about. Is that hose available in sizes smaller than 1/2"?

@arthurwagar88

4 ай бұрын

I used hydraulic hoses on my butane conversion. That's all I could get. They'll last forever.

For short haul, this is a great design, great visibility, sturdy enough handle work

Chase was saying in an interview with the deboss garage guys the other day they were hoping the pickup kits would cost 1/3-1/2 the price of a new truck, and they're mostly after the 1 ton market first for tow trucks, service rigs, etc.

About time we get away from complicated equipment and a throwaway system Definitely would be interested in a pickup version and would wait for it as my next purchase

Scrolled through title and legitimately thought it was an Edison motors post. I’ve been subscribed to your channel far long ago. Pretty freaking cool guys!!

Speaking as a railroader, AC traction motors are a much better choice. They are much more rugged and reliable, traction motor failures on DC units are a regular occurrence but are almost unheard of on AC units. Also, diesel-electric locomotives can have 'dynamic braking', like regenerative braking except instead of recharging a battery the electricity is dissipated in a air-cooled resistor grid (basically a giant toaster with big fans blowing on it). I wonder if Edison has considered this sort of setup to provide electric 'engine braking' even when the battery is fully charged.

Edison Motors is going to working with Deboss Garage on the Pickup side of things. Deboss is in Ontario and we will see what happens super excited about both rigs. Im a heavy Haul driver in Oregon hauling woodchips in the coast mountains about 102,000 LBS of woodchips.

I kinda see the Tesla truck for otr and the Edison truck for off road applications, like logging. They both serve a great purpose and are built very different. Excited about the pickup retrofit idea!

Edison first retrofitted an older semi truck. Because you remove the engine and drive train, plus you only need a small battery module and small diesel engine, the diesel electric semi weighed 2,000 pounds less than the original semi.

Another advantage of their drivetrain is that you can run the engine at a constant rpm. Many aspects of an engine, like intake and exhaust geometry, cam profile, fuel mapping, and turbo dimensions are designed for decent performance and economy over a large rpm range. We have even invented things like VTEC (probably not in trucks though) , and variable turbo geometry in order to optimize the engine over a large rpm range. But if you only use your engine to recharge batteries you don't need any of that, and could optimise your entire engine for a specific rpm.

That will be interesting to see what happens

Cat has a tiny 3 cylinder engine for light tower generator plants. That produces 8+kw that would fit any pickup truck right down to an 88 Toyota ( speaking only of under hood space not weight carrying capacity of the suspension) these light plants with gensets are widely available.

As a long time Tesla fan boy I love the guys over at Edison.

They all say going down hill braking will charge the batteries .... but they all don't say braking only puts back a small % of the power.

I love the idea but as I like to tell my father, "Watts is watts". Even the large battery is only 280kwh. That's the equivalent of just less that 7 gallons of diesel fuel.

I am over the top with enthusiasm for this truck and if for no other reason the SIMPICITY!

The concept is similar to Big Bud farm tractors. They use off the shelf components so anyone can work on them.

4:21 regarding the hood opening. He is likely giving a nod to other bush road logging truck designs from the past like Hayes, and Pacific. Those trucks come to mind as to other stout trucks that were designed and built by companies who were founded in British Columbia and who were building for the logging industry.

Thanks for sharing

Screw what they said about Engineers. I am an Engineer and this truck is fantastic. No BS, simple switches, simple braided lines, all the electricals are off the shelf.

Really good stuff! Thanks

Emissions regulations are undervalued stationary engine which in Canada does not require the same emissions as a on highway vehicle . Because it’s literally a generator it is not a on highway application