Mastodawn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FIvfx5J10

Note: no Volvo semi-truck toot can be complete without a link to the Epic Split. #Enya #JCVD

#Cars #EV #Truck #Trucking #Electrification

Volvo Trucks - The Epic Split feat. Van Damme

Watch Jean-Claude Van Damme carry out his famous split between two reversing trucks. Never done before, JCVD says it's the most epic of splits -- what do you...

YouTube

@chris
LOL, epic.

Aside: have you ever seen the TV series ‘Jean Claude Van Johnson’?

@crispius haha no!

@chris
Oh, it’s great. The premise is that JCVD is actually a real-life secret agent and his movie career was his cover. It’s hilarious!

https://youtu.be/07vNw7zc-ac

@chris

Jean-Claude Van Johnson || Filip Looper || SocialNews.XYZ

YouTube

https://cdllife.com/2023/nikola-founder-sentenced-for-misleading-investors-with-staged-video-of-an-electric-semi-truck-rolling-down-a-hill/

@chris
Remember the time that other company defrauded investors by filmed their ‘prototype’ rolling down a hill? 😂

Nikola founder sentenced for misleading investors with staged video of an electric semi truck rolling down a hill

The founder and former CEO of Nikola was sentenced to prison and issued hefty fine for misleading investors with a staged video of an electric semi truck rolling down a hill.

CDLLife

https://elonbuzz.com/nikola-motor-founder-trevor-milton-given-full-pardon-by-president-trump/amp/

@chris
And remember when #Trump gave the CEO a full pardon?

Nikola Motor founder Trevor Milton given full pardon by President Trump

Nikola Motor founder Trevor Milton has been given a full pardon by U.S. President Donald Trump in an unprecedented turn of events. Trevor Milton Media announced late Thursday that the formerly jailed founder of the all-electric automaker that President Trump had “pledged to end the political weaponization of the Justice Department. This pardon marks a ... Read more

Elon Buzz

@crispius oooof. i forgot about that!

https://electrek.co/2026/04/04/port-of-la-turns-to-electric-terminal-trucks-to-to-slash-dwell-times/

Diane Apr 15

@chris

The port of Los Angeles has apparently is increasing their use of heavy duty electric tractors.

Apparently the EVs can move things faster.

Port of LA turns to electric terminal trucks to to slash dwell times

Port of LA isn't just decarbonizing and cutting fuel costs with electric trucks, they've slashed truck idle times at the port by almost 85%.

Electrek

@alienghic makes sense. direct-drive acceleration will make a difference even at slow speeds

Mike Taylor 🦕Apr 15

@chris I thought part of the appeal of EVs was that they didn't have a transmission at all?

@mike ya I found that interesting as well. Maybe they found that in heavy-hauling, it still made sense to have a transmission. I'd be interested to know how it works, it could be that it isn't a transmission at all, or that it works in a different way.

https://www.volvotrucks.com/en-en/trucks/electric/volvo-fh-aero-electric.html

@mike The Volvo site has some cool images of the power unit. Looks like it is highly integrated with the dual electric motors.

"The Volvo FH Aero Electric has a powerful and energy-efficient drive unit that integrates the driveline, power electronics, and transmission. With two electric motors and an eight speed transmission with powershift, you get seamless gear shifting and smoother acceleration.”

Volvo FH Aero Electric

Volvo FH Electric is a flexible heavy-duty truck with high payload capabilities, great for city-to-city deliveries, construction site haulage, and long-range assignments.

Leroy Apr 15

@chris @mike maybe it’s more like a software override?

“Traffic is a standstill, might as well stay in first gear” type of stuff, to minimize battery drain.

@leroy @mike could be. the volvo site highlights some interesting automated feature like an "auto-go" that limits the speed to 1.5 kph when releasing the brake. It does repeat in multiple ways that there some sort of transmission though so there must be something mechanical in there too!

Anders Cornelius Madsen Apr 15

@leroy @chris @mike

I know that Mercedes use two-speed transmissions in their newest and most efficient model EVs - perhaps efficiency could be the target here as well?

pdf: https://www.eaton.com/content/dam/eaton/products/emobility/power-systems/eaton-ev-transmissions-brochure-emob0003-en.pdf

Johan Empa Apr 15

@mike @chris
@leroy

Apparently there are some benefits with it such as smaller motor and reduced battery size.

"EV transmission ... offers significantly greater efficiency at high speeds and increased torque at launch and low speeds"

Mike Taylor 🦕Apr 15

@JohanEmpa @chris @leroy Interesting, thank you!

Bill Sharpe Gadfly Apr 15

@chris
Chris, I miss the English version of the Electric Trucker YT!
Thanks for the Volvo #toot .
Bill

Kevin Boyd (he/him) 🇨🇦Apr 15

@chris I hope the canadian government can get Edison's diesel-electric hybrids certified to go on the road ASAP. Frankly it's embarrassing that they've put up so much red tape that it makes more sense for the company to make combustion trucks to stay afloat.

@kboyd ya, it's so frustrating the amount of trouble they've had getting certified.

Stanley Nerdlinger II Apr 15

@chris
Yes but can you drive it on Mars like Elon’s truck?

Ray McCarthy Apr 15

@chris
Tesla's big truck was supposed to use the same batteries (cells) as the cybertruck, The Korean materials supplier downgraded the contract from a value of millions to less than $10,000?

@raymaccarthy ooof