Farm4Profit Podcast

Edison Motors - The Future of Electric Drive Semis

Episode Summary

First our "What's Working in Ag' segment features Farmers Risk. Then Chace Barber from Canada jumps on the show to talk about his exciting new company. A man with a trucking background and knowledge of solar generated power is putting together a diesel generated electric powered over the road semi tractor. He has a great mind for business and a clear vision for the future of his business.

Episode Notes

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Chace Barber - CEO Edison Motors

• Chace is a truck driver with 14 years of experience.
• He ran his own trucking company started 5 years ago after university with a 1969 Kenworth. The trucking side of the company was shut down so that Chace & Eric could move to BC and focus on solar equipment manufacturing, production & installation.
• Chace is co-founder of SEI, a solar installation company that designs & manufactures it’s own racking systems. The company manufactures several products for Finning.

Who is Chace Barber?

What is Edison Motors?

These trucks are built and designed by truckers and mechanics for truckers and mechanics to be able to service. Edison Motors was started by truckers, for truckers. These are going to work hard but be easy to work on we want them to look great, be fun to drive, and last forever.

• Diesel locomotive style hybrid - electric drive powertrain build for the logging/vocational industry
• A diesel generator and batteries working together to power electric drives 
• Better fuel mileage, lower maintenance costs, more power. 
• NO MORE UGLY ELECTRIC TRUCKS
• We’re manufacturing trucks for the logging and vocational industry

Other team members?

How are you going to accomplish a locomotive style semi tractor?

Step 1 - 1962 LW-923 Proof of Concept

We are currently building a proof of concept truck using a 1962 Kenworth. This will have a 3306 CAT diesel generator charging a battery bank, running a frame mounted electric drive motor into a traditional set of 46,000 rear ends

Step 2 - Prototype

with lessons learned from the 1962 proof of concept we will build the Edison truck

This truck will integrate multiple electric drive motors. From lessons learned from our proof of concept, we will scale from one motor to e-axles (subject to part availability). 

This fully built prototype will be made with the same parts used in the retrofit kits

Step 3 - Retrofit kit

Once all the kinks are ironed out and prototype is hard tested, we plan to offer the complete parts package to retrofit any classic truck - We believe it’s better to recycle an old truck then make something brand new.

This will allow Edison Motors to start scaling up manufacturing without having to jump fully into building a new truck from the very start.

Step 4 - Edison Locomotive

This is where we start building Edison branded trucks. These are purpose build logging and vocational trucks, custom ordered to the specifications of the end user. 

How is this project being funded?

• There are currently 1590 Investors and Edison has raised over $389,000 to fund the building of the electric truck.

If this project is successful, what does it mean for the future of the industry?

What is the timeline of the project?

Any other questions we should be asking you about this?

Podcast – Blue Collar Interviews with Jordan Willey and Chace Barber. Interviewing guys and gals from the blue-collar work force.

Any other hobbies?

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Summary

Challenge