What's your opinion about electric trucks??

Originally Posted by Dru702

The pros being fuel would cost next to nothing.

So how much would it cost to plug it in every night? Don't get me wrong, that thing is cool, but too many people think that just because the don't feel the "pain at the pump" that it cost next to nothing to drive.

You'd be better off getting a diesel. You'll buy, it turns out to be crap, the company goes under, leaving you with a worthless pile of scrap. Well, at least you can scrap it.

You are thinking of spending $12K so you can dump at the yard, rather than get out and unload it yourself? I would rather do the work, and save $12K. Propane is an awesome idea. It would be cheaper than that truck.

I bought a Jeep Comanche 2 years ago for $700 to run scrap. It paid for itself in about 5 loads, and every load there after was profit. It only cost me $10 to do a 50 mile round trip. I have since made about $17K in scrap hauling with this truck over the last 2.5 years. Had I sprung for that fancy truck (which would be trash with all the scrap you would use it for, unless you only pick up 'clean' scrap) profit would be less than $3000 total.

Simple math.

Originally Posted by Kris Kringle

If I was going to live within a 40 mile radius of my home I guess it would be ok But for 10 - 12K to only be able to drive I would say it is cost effective for what I do.

Charging Time.

Battery Cost and Replacement

Charging Station Cost.

Everytime You dump you use battery power.

Everytime you use A/C or Heat you use Battery Power

Lights use battery.

Charging time kinda.. takes about 7 hrs to charge so I would only be able to use it once a day and I would plug it in before I go to bed each night. But I would still save alot of money even just using it once a day. In my current truck it cost about 10 bucks to drive 30-40 miles more if I'm hauling scrap where as it would only cost me .50 with this truck if I use it once a day I'd save 9.50 a day, 66.50 in a week, 3,458 In a year.

The batteries last avg of 30000 miles avg person drives 10000 miles a yr. but I wouldn't be using it as a daily driver so It would be less than that. Not sure exactly how many batteries this truck has but the most I've ever seen on an electric vehicle is 12 so ill use that. 12 batteries so Id have to replace them every 4 years or so it would be about 1200 every 4 years. Id save 13832 on fuel In 4 years so minus 1200 for the batteries and I'm saving 12600 in 4 years. So replacing batteries is not a limitation.

The charging station would be my garage lol.

I seriously doubt that dumping one load of shred at the yard would use a huge amount of energy. I mean the limit on this thing is half a ton and the truck it self weights half a ton. Dumping a load would prob use the same amount of energy it would take to drive the truck a few feet.

Yes a/c would use energy I believe it is already factor into the range.. i.g. using a/c 30 mile range, without a/c 40 miles or I could always roll down the window. I live in Vegas so i'd never use the heater.

I can really only see 2 limitations and considering that i'd save almost 4 grand a year the truck would pay for itself within 3 years less than that if I could find a used one.

Originally Posted by WeWillPrevail

You'd be better off getting a diesel. You'll buy, it turns out to be crap, the company goes under, leaving you with a worthless pile of scrap. Well, at least you can scrap it.

You are thinking of spending $12K so you can dump at the yard, rather than get out and unload it yourself? I would rather do the work, and save $12K. Propane is an awesome idea. It would be cheaper than that truck.

I bought a Jeep Comanche 2 years ago for $700 to run scrap. It paid for itself in about 5 loads, and every load there after was profit. It only cost me $10 to do a 50 mile round trip. I have since made about $17K in scrap hauling with this truck over the last 2.5 years. Had I sprung for that fancy truck (which would be trash with all the scrap you would use it for, unless you only pick up 'clean' scrap) profit would be less than $3000 total.

Simple math.

umm so this truck cost about 11k more than the truck you bought and 17k - 11k is 6k profit not 3k.. not trying to be rude but, where did you learn "simple math"?

Edit:
When you consider all the variables such as, how often would I be able to use this truck vs a regular truck. cost of fuel. amount of scrap you could haul with this truck vs. a normal truck.... etc. the math would be anything but simple.
And I stated in my original post that I would be using this truck for CL pick ups and trash nights not just for dumping at the yard, i'd get a regular dump truck if that's all I was gonna do with it.

Originally Posted by olddude

they are cute and fun
they have much more tork than a gas engine
they will do amaizing things for their size
BUT

they are only practlcle for yard use

the 40- mile range is reduced because it is used

because of size they are limited in volume hauled

you really need two one working one charging
kinda like having a family of 5 and one jet ski

you can buy a used golf cart for 1000 and convert it to a truck for 500 and you have the same thing.

I would see if I could rent or lease one for a month before buying.

just my .02

Buying a golf cart and converting it would be a great idea. This company is actually a subsidiary of a golf cart company and they sell pre-owned carts.. I might try to rent one just to test it out but in the long run purchasing one would be more cost effective.

Originally Posted by Kris Kringle

You asked a question I gave the Opinion. Go buy the truck you Don't need no Opinions on it If it works for you cool. It wouldnt work for me.

Sorry to Offend you

I wasn't offended at all.. sorry if I came across that way. I respect your opinion, I just don't see that many limitations to owning this truck. I have a very high amount of respect for any man or woman who is willing to take matters into their own hands and start their own business.

Originally Posted by Kris Kringle

He said he Purchased a Jeep for $700
He said He made the Money Back That he paid for the Jeep in in 5 Loads
He said he had the Jeep for 2.5 Years
He said in that 2.5 Years he had Made $17000

He said profit would be less than 3k, if he bought the electric truck vs his jeep. What I'm saying is 17k minus 11k (what he would have spend if he got a new electric truck) is 6k profit not 3k + whatever he would have saved on gas - what he would not have been able to pick up due to the range restriction of the truck,, its really impossible to tell exactly what the profit would be. But his math is flawed as is his business scene, just because he made back the initial cost the jeep in 5 loads doesn't mean that every load thereafter is pure profit. You still have to minus the cost of fuel and maintenance on the jeep. Even something as small as putting air in the tires is an expense and must be subtracted from the gross profit. WeWillPrevail is 17k your gross profit or net? This post kinda offended me, I can read lol. I'm not really offended I'm a real easy going guy life is to short for me to trip over every little thing.

http://www.americasminitruckcenter.com/products/
what about something like this??

I like the idea of electric with all the savings and such but I wonder about a failure of all the specialized components on this ride.
If a part should fail, and we all know they will in time, what will be the cost to repair or replace parts? Can you even find parts? You must also consider when you have troubles you can't just drop the part on the local Napa dealer and be on your way.

Just things to consider. I like the idea but will it pan out? Good luck.

Originally Posted by Dru702

He said profit would be less than 3k, if he bought the electric truck vs his jeep. What I'm saying is 17k minus 11k (what he would have spend if he got a new electric truck) is 6k profit not 3k + whatever he would have saved on gas - what he would not have been able to pick up due to the range restriction of the truck,, its really impossible to tell exactly what the profit would be. But his math is flawed as is his business scene, just because he made back the initial cost the jeep in 5 loads doesn't mean that every load thereafter is pure profit. You still have to minus the cost of fuel and maintenance on the jeep. Even something as small as putting air in the tires is an expense and must be subtracted from the gross profit. WeWillPrevail is 17k your gross profit or net? This post kinda offended me, I can read lol. I'm not really offended I'm a real easy going guy life is to short for me to trip over every little thing.

I didn't keep receipts. All I know is I would have less profit with an $11K truck starting out with. Until that was paid off, you are making NO profit, simply trying to pay off your electric, low range, light hauling fancy truck. It would cost me $10-$20 for a round trip, and I would get AT LEAST $100-$150 at the yard. That's a pretty good ratio. I don't need exact number, as this is not a pissing contest.

All I am saying is you won't be in the black for awhile, way longer than if you buy a beater and run it until it dies.

Also, I could get 1800lbs in my truck. It sounds like the payload of your electric truck is nowhere near that. I also got a ladder rack with the truck, allowed me to cut longer sections of frame rail, and strap them up top.