Electric truck sets Guinness distance record

Electric truck sets Guinness distance record HANOVER, Germany — Private delivery service provider DPD Switzerland, electric truck brand Futuricum and Continental have secured the Guinness World Record for the longest distance covered by an electric truck without stopping to charge. The DPD Futuricum truck with Continental tires completed 682.88 miles in 23 hours. The truck has been in use for DPD Switzerland in regional traffic for six months. The drive took place in June on a high-speed oval track at Continental's Contidrom test center near Hanover, Germany. Two drivers completed 392 laps in shifts of 4.5 hours each at an average speed of 31 mph, which is a realistic average for everyday use, the companies said. "For DPD Switzerland, we have converted a Volvo FH to an electric drive. The 19-ton truck now has over 680 hp and, with a capacity of 680 kilowatt-hours, the largest truck battery in Europe on board," said Adrian Melliger, CEO of Designwerk Products, the company behind the Futuricum brand. The truck was fitted with Continental EfficientPro tires, which are designed for low rolling resistance. "The upturn in electric mobility has put an even greater focus on the importance of, particularly, rolling resistance-optimized tires," said Hinnerk Kaiser, head of product development truck tires, Europe, Middle East, Africa, at Continental. — Tire Business What you need to knowChevy Bolt owners live 'nightmare' awaiting battery-fire fix General Motors is seeking to lead the auto industry's charge into an electric future, spending $27 billion to deliver 30 plug-in models by 2025 with a goal of going all-electric by 2035. Change-averse commuters are finally starting to show interest in electric vehicles, but now all that progress is at risk, Bloomberg reports, with 10 Bolts experiencing battery fires that GM determined are linked to two manufacturing defects in the battery cell. "This will absolutely have an impact on people's desire to go electric," said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering with AAA. "An auto flambe is not something anyone wants."

Electric truck sets Guinness distance record

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