Formerly known as Solo Advanced Vehicle Technologies (Solo AVT), the company now goes by the name Terraline. With the name change comes a shift in the company’s mission, at least in the short term. His SD1 platform for self-driving is on the backburner as it focuses on meeting immediate demand for all-electric Class 8 long-haul trucks for human drivers. The company calls it the Tangra LH1, and this truck utilizes the same he 500-mile (805 km) electric architecture, but it’s built for real humans with nitty-gritty features like a windshield. It has a cab.
Terraline hasn’t completely abandoned autonomous trucking, but it does address the pressing need for electric long-haul trucks. Under the new direction, the company plans to deploy Tangra LH1 vehicles for customer testing later this year.
Terraline CEO and Founder Graham Doorley explained in this week’s announcement: “Our success must be of our own making and cannot be premised on advances in autonomous technology or regulation.”
Terraline
The company said the move was made in direct response to immediate demand for all-electric Class 8 trucks ready to help decarbonize today’s freight transportation. Automated prototypes, which have been in development for years, clearly cannot meet that demand.
Like its predecessor, the autonomous SD1, the Tangra LH1 targets more than 500 miles of range on a single charge thanks to a combination of large battery pack and efficiency-enhancing technology. Terraline claims the sleek, futuristic truck cab boasts the lowest drag coefficient of any Class 8 production truck available. Active aerodynamic elements and low rolling resistance tires further improve efficiency. Fast charging hardware ensures the quickest and most seamless charging stop possible.
Terraline
Terraline has not revealed the Tangra LH1’s motor power, but has confirmed that, like the SD1, it will be powered by a tandem multi-speed electric axle. His SD1 concept, which the company previewed last May, featured an e-axle that integrated an 805 hp (600 kW) electric motor output.
Terraline eventually aims to launch trucks as a service on a cost-per-mile basis, leasing and maintaining trucks to fleet customers. The company is designing the Tangla LH1 with the goal of driving his 3 million miles (4.8 million km) per truck in his 10 years.
Source: Terraline
