TerraLiner:12 m Globally Mobile Beach House/Class-A Crossover w 6x6 Hybrid Drivetrain

[biotect]

Again, thanks, for catching the typo, since corrected to 3 KW.?

 

[biotect]

Finally!!

Volvo will begin selling electric FMX construction trucks — the perfect platform for the TerraLiner — in 2021:


https://www.automotiveworld.com/new...lectric-trucks-for-the-construction-industry/

https://www.electrive.com/2020/10/15/volvo-trucks-testing-electric-construction-trucks/

https://www.businessinsider.com/volvo-trucks-electrifying-heavy-duty-trucks-in-2021-2020-11

https://www.volvogroup.com/en-en/news/2020/nov/news-3820395.html

https://www.volvotrucks.com/en-en/about-us/electromobility.html

https://www.electrive.com/2020/11/05/volvo-trucks-to-electrify-entire-lineup-by-2021/

https://www.commercialmotor.com/news/product/volvo-shows-heavier-electric-trucks

https://www.pcmag.com/news/electric-heavy-duty-volvo-trucks-to-hit-the-road-in-2021

https://www.electrive.com/2019/12/11/volvo-trucks-concepts-electric-heavy-duty-and-regional-use/

https://www.electrive.com/2019/12/11/volvo-trucks-concepts-electric-heavy-duty-and-regional-use/

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releas...cks-starting-in-europe-in-2021-824501840.html

 

[jeno]

Here is a platform for you:

 

[jeno]

 

[biotect]

Here is a platform for you:

Hi Jacinto (https://www.jacinto-lda.com/en/),

I’ve known for a while that Volvo and Rosenbauer have been collaborating on EV solutions for firetrucks, in particular, Rosenbauer’s “CFT” — see https://innovation.rosenbauer.com/en/concept-fire-truck/ , https://www.oemoffhighway.com/elect...es-with-rosenbauer-on-zeroemission-fire-truck , https://24htech.asia/basel-orders-4-electric-fire-trucks-from-rosenbauer-s141129.html , https://www.firerescue1.com/apparat...pparatus-to-nations-capital-upKF7aR4K9fajzJq/ , https://insideevs.com/news/445918/first-electric-fire-trucks-on-their-way/ , https://www.artstation.com/artwork/d8mY5e , https://www.volvopenta.com/about-us...ic-fire-trucks-are-on-their-way-to-customers/ .

And more recently, a fire-truck version of Volvo’s FL — https://www.electrive.com/2020/10/10/rosenbauer-volvo-release-all-electric-fire-truck/ , https://www.oemoffhighway.com/elect...edriveline-for-rosenbauer-electric-fire-truck , https://www.volvotrucks.com/en-en/trucks/trucks/volvo-fl/volvo-fl-electric.html .

But I didn’t realise that Rosenbauer is working on an electric version of the Panther? Where did you find this video? And/or inf ormation about an electric Panther?

? ? ? ? ? ?

It’s rather incredible how quickly Volvo is offering electrified versions of all of its trucks, including the FMX — https://www.volvotrucks.com/en-en/trucks/trucks/volvo-fmx/volvo-fmx-electric.html , https://insideevs.com/news/547671/volvo-fmx-electric-arctic-conditions/ .

But I was particularly struck by a version of the FMX that one outfitter in particular is proposing, where the FMX’s battery pack can get upgraded to as much as 900 kWh — https://www.futuricum.com/en/electric-commercial-vehicles/ , https://www.futuricum.com/en/electric-fmx-truck/ , https://www.futuricum.com/en/electric-fh-truck/ , https://www.futuricum.com/en/construction-logistics/ , https://www.futuricum.com/en/batteries-2/ , https://futuricum.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/Factsheet_Futuricum_FMX_Tipper_40E_10x4R_en_web.pdf , https://futuricum.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/Factsheet_Futuricum_FMX_Concrete_40E_10x4R_en_web.pdf :













Recall that most current “large” Expedition Motorhomes of the kind built by Actionmobil and Unicat, are basically habitation boxes put on the backs of construction trucks like the MAN TGS, the Mercedes Actros, and the Volvo FMX. See for instance http://www.actionmobil.com/en/3-axle/globecruiser . So what you see above, is the shape of the future: a thoroughly electric base vehicle.

It’s really quite interesting how much Volvo has teamed up of late with Rosenbauer on various projects, including a revamping of the Panther’s engine to a Volvo Penta — https://066.8a8.mwp.accessdomain.com/resources/case-studies/rosenbauer-panther-6-x-6/ , https://www.oemoffhighway.com/marke...scue-and-firefighting-vehicle-at-minexpo-2021 .

Recall that the Panther was originally based on a MAN-KAT torsion-free chassis that was also widened: it’s circa 3 m wide, so much too wide for ordinary highway travel. But it also came with a huge above-1,000 HP M.A.N. engine. If memory serves, the kind of engine normally found only in boats. So Rosenbauer seems to be gradually moving its fire-trucks in the direction of deeper and deeper collaboration with Volvo.

Ronsebauer even collaborated with both Volvo and Tatra to produce the “TIGON” off-road “wilderness grade” 8x8 firetruck — see https://www.alexmiedema.nl/2018/08/03/rosenbauer-tatra-volvo-tigon/ , https://www.rosenbauer.com/en/ca/rosenbauer-world/vehicles/industrial-vehicles/tigon , https://www.rosenbauer.com/fileadmi...vehicles/specialty/docs/Brochure_Tigon_EN.pdf, https://topgear-autoguide.com/categ...ire-brigade-offroad-fire-truck-20181607094972 , https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/54036-tatra-introduces-new-tigon-firefighting-range/ , https://www.facebook. com/ rosenbauerfans /videos/the-tigon-the-universal-fire-fighting-vehicle-2-in-1-arff-industrial-application/257975014866105/ :









And most intriguing of all, Rosenbauer has a “specialty vehicles” department, one that is happy to create unique solutions for a price, of course. See https://www.rosenbauer.com/en/ca/rosenbauer-world/vehicles/industrial-special-vehicles , https://www.rosenbauer.com/en/ca/ro.../industrial-special-vehicles/special-vehicles , https://www.rosenbauer.com/blog/en/cat/vehicles/special-vehicles/ , https://www.rosenbauer.com/blog/en/buffalos-in-the-north/ , https://www.rosenbauer.com/blog/en/a-special-airport-firefighting-vehicle-the-mt-airport-buffalo/ , https://www.rosenbauer.com/fileadmi...ente/INTERN/BUFFALO_extreme_GTLF_33000_en.pdf, https://www.rosenbauer.com/fileadmi...derfahrzeuge_EN_216x303_2015-05-11_v22_sj.pdf , https://www.rosenbauer.com/fileadmin/sharepoint/products/specialvehicles/INTERN_Interschutz_2015/Prospekte_Sonderfahrzeuge_neu/rb_gbk_broschure_CBS_EN_216x303_2015-05-11_v18_ks.pdf , https://www.rosenbauer.com/blog/en/the-interplay-of-theory-and-practice/ .

The focus at Rosenbauer is of course fire-trucks. But if one were to want to get a Volvo FMX:

(A) specially fitted out with a large specialised crew cab

(B) a non-flexing torsion-free frame (perhaps a Tatra triangular backbone frame as per the TIGON)

(C) a serial-hybrid power train, with electric motors, and 900 kWh of battery packs

(D) and a Volvo Penta range-extending generator

(E) that also does double-duty as boondocking generator to recharge the 900 kWh battery packs in 4 hours or less, for “mostly silent” glamping….

….then it would be hard to think of a better company to pull off this technological feat, creating a vehicle that would not only work and not break down, but that could also be serviced worldwide at Rosenbauer service centres on every continent — https://www.rosenbauer.com/en/13/rosenbauer-world/service/in-use-around-the-world .

Just a thought…..☺

All best wishes,


Biotect

 

[jeno]

Hi Jacinto (https://www.jacinto-lda.com/en/),

But I didn’t realise that Rosenbauer is working on an electric version of the Panther? Where did you find this video? And/or inf ormation about an electric Panther?

Hi,

I am not sure what you mean about electric Panther. The video is an electric version of the Jacinto Lusitano, found in the link you provided over.

There is though an electric chinese Panther knock off:



http://www.360che.com/tech/211018/1...sCi-UQXWIMlH3k3Rc-8csfBkfOLsYe14gsqDOqUsT9Rm0

This British start-up is a more promising platform:



https://emotive-tech.com/

 

[hfghfgh]

Electricity is impractical

 

[thjakits]

Hi all!

here a video from youtube:


here the channel of the people who are doing this:

https://www.youtube.com/@EdisonMotors

OBVIOUSLY - the presented chassis is NOT a good base for an Overlander!!
Listen to the details and you get the idea - Skoolie body onto a truck chassis, build your own chassis and put on it whatever you want. As much "generator" as you want, as much battery as you want - (observe, they use LiFePO 4 , NOT Li-Ion!) - the only 2 factors you really have to sort for your build: How much braking do you want - and how strong of a frame do you need for that....?!!

Cheers,

thjakits

 

[jeno]

Maybe you can pitch Yangwang to build an up scaled 6x6 version of the U8.

 

[campo]

Nice to see that you are still there BiotecT
grtz campo

 

[biotect]

Nice to see that you are still there BiotecT
grtz campo

Many thanks, campo.

Had to take care of my elderly parents for a few years; they passed away in 2022, and I have been travelling ever since…. Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, France, Sweden, Portugal. Also did a “deep dive” into Vipassana meditation, doing circa fifteen 10-day “sits” plus some 20-day sits, and circa twenty 10-day “serves”, at various Vipassana centres worldwide — see https://www.dhamma.org/en-US/maps#001 .

Have you seen Hoffman’s “Living Vehicle”? Terrific stuff, technologically speaking: https://www.livingvehicle.com/ :





On the other hand in terms of space and aesthetics, nothing beats a CMC Caravan: https://www.cmccaravan.com/ , https://www.instagram.com/cmc_caravan/ , https://www.youtube.com/@cmccaravan6096 , https://www.facebook.com/CMCcaravan/ .

CMC is an Italian company that seems to manufacture super-comfortable trailers complete with bathtubs mainly for the F1 circuit, i.e. successful drivers who want their wives/families to travel with them. Double-slide-out technology, married to the very best Italian design: https://www.cmccaravan.com/athena-living-trailer/ , https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...-whole-new-landyacht-worthy-level-203527.html , https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...ned-like-a-15-million-work-of-art-205592.html , https://www.cmccaravan.com/celeste-living-trailer/ , https://www.cmccaravan.com/elyse-living-trailer/ , https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...state-that-rivals-an-actual-villa-204303.html , https://www.cmccaravan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/brochure-cmc-caravan-020.pdf .

Only just now does Volvo’s FMX electric truck seem ”robust enough” and established enough that it might — just might — be able to serve as a tow-vehicle for a circa 13.5 m to 17 m long CMC-type Caravan redesigned for expedition travel. The caravan perhaps built on an ultra-rigid Tatra trailer base, rendering it truly bad-road capable, with insulation and technology as per Hoffman’s “Living Vehicle”.…. See https://www.tatratrucks.com/about-the-company/gallery/videos/tatra-fast-ii-trailer/ :











But longer than this Tatra “Fast” trailer, with four axles in total: two axle pairs at either end of a 13.5 m - 17 m ultra-rigid platorm.

Again, I figure the ideal format would be a Euro-style “tandem truck” arrangement, as per the second configuration circled below:









Note that the above photos do not quite capture what I have in mind, because the towed caravan has only two centrally placed axels, and would not be able to move around easily on its own. What is shown above is actually the third configuration in the following diagram, circled in red, and not the second, circled in purple:




The second would be preferred, because it would have the necessary stability required for self-powered movement.

Here I have in mind something like MAN’s hydrostatic drive system fitted to the Caravan’s wheels, so that it could move around easily at very low speed under its own power — see https://www.man.eu/global/en/truck/...ostatic-front-wheel-drive/man-hydrodrive.html , https://resources.system-analysis.c...-an-introduction-to-hydrostatic-drive-systems .

The following are images from the EuroTruck simulator, but they much more accurately capture what I have in mind:





The entire ensemble using Vavilovian mimicry to ”hide in plain sight”, masquerading as a freight truck when underway. Again, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vavilovian_mimicry .

Even with massive solar on the roof of the such a trailer, the Volvo FMX would probably still need a supplementary ICE generator + 1000 L fuel tank, to achieve multi-month boondocking capability, i.e. “glamping on a farm”. But all of this is now technologically within reach; just check out what more “classic” Class-A motorhome makers like Newell and the Prevost-based builders have been doing of late, re solar, batteries, and power autonomy (Millennium, Liberty, Marathon, Emerald, Featherlite — see https://prevostmotorhomes.com/ ).

So yeah, I’ve continued thinking and researching, but didn’t feel much need to continue posting here…..

Honestly, it‘s kinda weird that the thread’s ”vIew” count keeps rising, given that the thread is basically moribund. The view count seems to have topped 1 million only just recently, circa 6 months ago….😂

All best wishes,


Biotect

 

[biotect]

A small gallery of CMC Caravan photos….


As I wrote in the previous post, CMC Caravans seem uniquely dedicated to using pop-up and double-slide-out technology to create “Caravans” — i.e. trailers — that provide the maximum possible amount of internal space.

A few years ago CMC’s largest trailers seemed to top out at 13.5 m long, but more recently they seem to be building trailers 15, 16, and even 17 m long. Perhaps because European regulations have changed? Of course any tow-vehicle + trailer combination designed for global use would need to take into account regulations in North America, Latin America, and Asia as well.

When the double slide-out of CMC trailers fully expands, its trailer become 5.85 m wide. Hence even CMC trailers “only” 13.5 long provided circa 800 square feet of internal space. A 17 m CMC trailer of the kind that also has an additional “side vestibule“ — as shown in the groundplan for the “Kasia” trailer shown below — will have circa 100 square meters of internal space, i.e. over 1000 square feet — see https://www.cmccaravan.com/kassia-living-trailer/ :






For comparison’s sake, this is roughly similar to the internal space provided by some of the larger, 60 - 70 foot, world-cruising catamarans.

A few years back CMC’s website seemed a bit more detailed, with various options illustrated using ground plans, plans that also nicely illustrated their “double-slide-out” technology:

 

[biotect]

In most models, the double-slideout is protected from possible rainwater ingress by a supplementary “roof”, well-illustrated by the following photos:In most models, the double-slideout is protected from possible rainwater ingress by a supplementary “roof”, well-illustrated by the following photos:

 

[biotect]

In some models, there’s an additional walk-in “vestibule” — attached to the outside of a double-slide-out! I have no idea how they manage to make this much cantilevering work, but the net result is a really nice entryway for the caravan:

 

[biotect]

In a few builds, CMC has even combined slide-outs with full-length pop-ups!: