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Comment by jnsaff2 | Hacker News Reader

I mean it is clickbait but it is also a thing that can easily work and there are already mining trucks that do this.

They work because they transport matter from a higher place to a lower place and therefore are much heavier downhill then uphill.

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This could be such a cool detail for post-apocalyptic SF story where someone drives old electric mining truck up the mountain to load up useless rocks to charge the truck on the way down and provide a little bit of electricity for their little community of survivalists.

You should write it! :)

Electric trains and trams in Europe already have regen braking. And no need for batteries!

How does that work without batteries? Where does the energy go?

Back into the power grid.

Quote: When regenerative braking is employed, the current in the electric motors is reversed, slowing down the train. At the same time, the electro motors generate electricity to be returned to the power distribution system

https://www.ctc-n.org/technologies/regenerative-braking-trai...

I assume it goes into the grid. Possibly to other trains that need the power right then.

The light rail MAX trains in Portland use regen braking without batteries, as one train is slowing it's generating power for other trains that are in motion[1].

1: https://www.wired.com/2013/06/portland-light-rail/

Yeah, but that does require a fair bit of additional infrastructure, running overhead wires and having it connected to the power grid. Makes sense in populated areas, but for mining trains in Australia, potentially 1000s of kms from the nearest city? This seems like a reasonable alternative

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