The subject of this article is a class 8 semi trailer. The economics in this space accentuate some of Hydrogen’s advantages of Lithium batteries.

For instance, trucks must meet certain maximum weight requirements to be legal on roads due the damage they might otherwise cause. Lithium based batteries store much less energy for a unit of weight, so designers must make a harsh trade off between cargo capacity and range. Toyota claims that their prototype has about twice the range than the BYD 8TT, which is an all electric class 8 semi trailer.

Depending on how the development of batteries progresses, Hydrogen based tracks may end up being the most effective way forward. At least, till there is a fundamental advancement in alternative energy storage mediums.