Regenerative braking
The biggest difference comes from regenerative braking. When your foot comes off the accelerator, the electric motor works as a generator and recovers energy as the truck slows. Used well and in the right conditions, it can add up to 25% back to usable range.
As Simon and Jack demonstrate on the E-Tech T, regeneration is controlled using the retarder stalk, with different settings for different environments:
- Higher regeneration settings mean you can control speed and slowing with the accelerator alone – one pedal driving.
- Lower regeneration settings mean the truck can roll more freely on faster roads for more efficient driving.
Maximising range and protecting your energy
Jack and Simon also talk us through some of the key ways you can maximise range and protect your energy, including:
- Tyre pressure – if pressures aren’t correct, rolling resistance increases and the truck needs more energy to maintain speed, reducing usable range.
- Preconditioning the cab before you leave - by doing this while the truck is plugged in, the energy needed comes from the grid.
Electric trucks reward good driving by giving you more range – and reducing wear and tear.
The driving feels familiar and once drivers understand how the truck responds, it quickly becomes second nature.
As Simon and Jack conclude: “Get the basics right, and the truck does the rest.”
