There have been various attempts at swapping the *battery* of an electric vehicle, including by Tesla. (As I understand it, obstacles include: the design advantages of making the battery a structural part of the car chassis; sophisticated battery management that involves “plumbing” the battery into the car’s HVAC system). Swapping the battery seems a major move in this direction because the battery is a large amount of the *value* of an electric vehicle. (Conversely: while the vehicle is parked, connect the battery to the electrical grid, and the battery can earn money by arbitraging Watt-hours over time)
Obviously, such things as RVs and Winnebagos and caravans exist
Cargo containers (and truck/tractors/semitrailers) are something a bit like this, but for cargo
In my view, one big disadvantage of a privately-owned car is that that car’s shape has to work for journeys in town, long road trips, vacations, etc, where actually you might prefer something small or shared in town (like a microcar, bicycle, or transit bus) and something roomier for a long journey (or bigger still if you’re travelling with friends & family).
Agree about the battery swaps, but swapping a tug would be easier.
Cargo containers are definitely like this, but they’re big because it is more economical to spread the cost of the driver over a large amount of cargo. Cargo wagons/modules could be in a wide range of sizes, including small/fast ones that are more like courier service than like bulk transport.
It’s possible that autonomy changes everything, but things somewhat like this have existed or been talked about:
“Modular cars” have been attempted
There have been various attempts at swapping the *battery* of an electric vehicle, including by Tesla. (As I understand it, obstacles include: the design advantages of making the battery a structural part of the car chassis; sophisticated battery management that involves “plumbing” the battery into the car’s HVAC system). Swapping the battery seems a major move in this direction because the battery is a large amount of the *value* of an electric vehicle. (Conversely: while the vehicle is parked, connect the battery to the electrical grid, and the battery can earn money by arbitraging Watt-hours over time)
Obviously, such things as RVs and Winnebagos and caravans exist
Cargo containers (and truck/tractors/semitrailers) are something a bit like this, but for cargo
In my view, one big disadvantage of a privately-owned car is that that car’s shape has to work for journeys in town, long road trips, vacations, etc, where actually you might prefer something small or shared in town (like a microcar, bicycle, or transit bus) and something roomier for a long journey (or bigger still if you’re travelling with friends & family).
Good points.
Agree about the battery swaps, but swapping a tug would be easier.
Cargo containers are definitely like this, but they’re big because it is more economical to spread the cost of the driver over a large amount of cargo. Cargo wagons/modules could be in a wide range of sizes, including small/fast ones that are more like courier service than like bulk transport.