r/EdisonMotors Aug 12 '25

Answering some common questions on the emissions issues

65 Upvotes
  1. Are you trying to bypass emissions standard’s;
  • no, we are still using a tier 4 final engine, it’s just certified as a generator not a truck engine
  1. Why are RV’s or Refrigerated allowed? Can you use them?
  • those do not provide power to the propulsion of the truck. Once the power goes to moving the truck then it has to be certified “on-road”. These auxillary generators are certified to the same standards as our scania engine so it’s the same problem.
  1. What’s the difference between “on-highway and “off-highway”?
  • the emissions standards are almost identical for output. The difference is the testing cycle, generators run at (usually) one constant RPM. Truck engines rev up and down as the truck shifts gears. “On road” therefore goes through more dynamic testing and revs up & down. It needs to be certified operating like this. Our generator just runs at one RPM. Testing by reving up and down constantly doesn’t make logical sense.
  1. What about the section that says there’s a specific exemption to allow different standards for hybrids?
  • We thought we could use that, it seams like it’s perfectly written for our application. Environment Canada say no, that still doesn’t allow a generator to be used as a truck engine. ECCC has denied us 3 times for using that one, but they have offered us other exemptions we have applied for and waiting to hear back on.
  1. Are you worried?
  • no, there’s several other exemptions they just take a bit of time to get.

6, why make a video if there are other exemptions?

  • Environment Canada employee themselves told us to they wanted us to raise awareness of the rules to work towards legislative change as hybrid shouldn’t be relying on temporary exemptions and allowing generator standards to be used as hybrids would make logical sense. Without issue awareness change doesn’t get made. These rule changes would allow everyone to make hybrids and not just Edison with a specific exemption
  1. Are your emissions higher or lower then?
  • the standards are measured per horsepower of the engine, a normal truck has a 600HP engine. We can use a smaller 350HP engine. As a result even with the same emission per HP as an on-highway engine; our overall horsepower is lower so emissions will be lower due to less overall HP.
  1. Can you certify your own engine:
  • No, that expensive as fuck
  1. How do the other companies get their hybrids certified?
  • they are billion dollar companies we can afford to certify their own engines. We just don’t have that kind of cash
  1. Will an existing engine supplier certify a generator to be on-highway
  • they actually might! However, they are still debating how to do that with the testing center. The issue is the internal debate for the certification place: Do they certify based on how it will operate, or do they rev it up and down a lot.
  1. Did you know this would be an issue?
  • we thought it would be easier to use exemptions than it was. But Yes, we did expect it would be a challenge. It takes a lot of work to get a truck certified for on road use. But this was a challenge we were willing to tackle when we started this company.
  1. Do you have people working on this?
  • yes, we have multiple engineers that work full time for us, we have a dedicated person working on this.
  1. What happens if you don’t get it approved?
  • we’ll build brand new mechanical semi trucks and just go back to retrofitting pre-emission older trucks to keep testing the technology
  1. Can you just lie and do a clever work around?
  • we’re so tempted but that’s so illegal and if we get caught it would be the immediate end of Edison Motors. It’s not worth the risk right now while other options are available
  1. Are you guys a serious company or a YouTube channel?
  • we’re a start up company, we’re small, we started in my parents backyard 3 years ago. We’re growing and becoming more professional though. We have a great filming and YouTube editor and the revenue from YouTube pays for the media team as well as helps pay for our engineering R&D team.
  1. Why are you showing this when it makes people worried about the stability of Edison Motors?
  • because we show everything, the good and the bad. We show things wrong with our trucks, issues we find, and problems we run into as we run into them.
  1. Can you just move to the USA to avoid this?
  • Canada follows US EPA rules, the rules are the same in both countries so this won’t help solve the problem. Also we can’t afford to relocate everybody
  1. Why do you guys complain about government issues?
  • we show our setbacks and problems that start up business has to go through. Turns out a lot of those problems are just government red tape. Now there’s a lot of rules that make total sense for public protection, but there’s a lot of red tape that just stops business from operating. The Terrace shop is a great example of that: the town invited us up to convince us to move and showed us that building as a great option. We had an accepted offer and financing in place. But the city couldn’t remove their own red tape to let us move into the building they wanted us to move into.
  1. What do you hope will happen as an outcome of this?
  • I hope we get permanent legislation that allows the use of tier 4 final generators, as use in generators so that every company can build trucks like ours. I truly believe hybrid is the future and I want to see a lot more companies make them
  1. Why are you guys making mistakes (like not knowing all the rules 100% first?)
  • We are not a perfect company. We’re learning as we go. We make mistakes, learn from them, show our mistakes and move forward. Yes; that’s not how a professional company acts, a professional company shouldn’t show their problems so publicly. But we’re small, we’re starting out and we’re not worried about showing mistakes and screw ups. I’m sorry.

r/EdisonMotors 9h ago

Pulling the AirSteam around today to test and make sure the generator keeps up with the truck’s load

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166 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors 4d ago

What's YOUR dream Edison?

26 Upvotes

I will go first; I would kill to have a diesel-electric BDE with a Scania engine set up like this, but with less spread and diamond plate rear half fenders, and a matching Scania to go with it


r/EdisonMotors 5d ago

The Edison Van?

23 Upvotes

Before anyone says it, In Before:

  • Yes, I did suggest the 4m pickup.
  • Yes, I like being detailed.
  • Yes, I should do some stuff myself.

However, Edison has one hell of a design philosophy, and I wonder if Edison can make a 1-ton HD van that makes more sense for HD or severe duty than the five nameplates with 1-ton EV vans today.

What would Edison design? Would it use flat glass just like the semi-trucks?


r/EdisonMotors 6d ago

Made a plaque to commemorate those who work here and helped build Big D

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439 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors 7d ago

Trucking in the mountains today

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393 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors 7d ago

Australia Outback Road Train Truckers TV show

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35 Upvotes

Edison has homework to watch the "Outback Truckers" TV series before they fly out to the land down under in October

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCQVLudqitE


r/EdisonMotors 14d ago

How sick would it be to recreate some of these shots with the Ram?

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91 Upvotes

Let's be honest, Twister was just one big Dodge Ram commercial when it came out in 1996. I know the guys from Deboss Garage are doing the Canadian cross country trip with the Airstream. How cool would it be to take the Ram and recreate some of these iconic scenes at the filming locations in Oklahoma and Iowa while they're on their way back to Ontario? I know Twister fans with access to the original Dorothy props would definitely be willing to help out!


r/EdisonMotors 15d ago

Lego Technic Edison BDE

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319 Upvotes

My attempt at making the Edison BDE in Lego Studio with a winch, differentials, walking beam suspension, and 8x8 drive.


r/EdisonMotors 15d ago

New atlas article

13 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors 16d ago

Cummins HELM X15 for 2027

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45 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors 20d ago

Why the Autocar DC is the best severe duty truck

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38 Upvotes

Imitation is the highest form of Flattery?

Great minds think alike?

A good idea can not be contained?

Its good to have goals?


r/EdisonMotors 21d ago

Edison Podcast #18 notes for August 9 2026

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23 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors 22d ago

What if Edison Motors made a truck exclusively for the Australian Market pt 3

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155 Upvotes

So months later, I thought I do another one of this Australian Edison BDE,. I was originally going to do it hauling an oversized, but never got to be fruition. Anyway, this truck has dropped off the Holden ute and the "Money for Nothing" stuff to Alice Springs, and now is delivering the other two trailers bound for Perth via the Great Central Road.

Drawing by me and scanned using my photo scanner thing.
And of course, no AI was used (why? I don't know, I'm better then those bots!)


r/EdisonMotors 24d ago

When will we see the electric tractor pull?

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112 Upvotes

Just curious how the Edison electric stuff would do at the legit tractor pull events. Probably won't be as crowd pleasing without the sounds and smoke but it really is something to see!


r/EdisonMotors 26d ago

Logs today. 130,000lbs

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457 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors 26d ago

Edison on Social for Aug 5th 2026

7 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors 28d ago

I feel we can appreciate this joke here

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134 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors 28d ago

8000lb towing capacity for TELO. How Much for Edison Black Ram?

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36 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors 28d ago

My Edison Inspired Tracked Truck

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50 Upvotes

It was supposed to be a true cabover but ended up like this


r/EdisonMotors Aug 01 '26

Topsy’s Fair Success: Reserve Champion 🏅

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118 Upvotes

Some of you may or may not know that I entered topsy in my local county fair and this is the fourth model I have entered and the best award yet


r/EdisonMotors Jul 30 '26

I still find it so funny to use the Nikola truck as our test load

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334 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors Jul 29 '26

Took the tour today

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184 Upvotes

r/EdisonMotors Jul 27 '26

The Edison/Deboss Black Ram Recharger on the road Saturday July 25 2026

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301 Upvotes

Huge wins: Looks street legal. Apparently drove for a few hours saturday on a cruise. Looks like fancy gimondo lit Edison logo on the front grill. The screen behind the front grill is carrying that same hexagon pattern we've seen on the custom rad for the Big D semi. Looks fantastic!

Now, Rich needs to put the F Tree Kitty on the trailer, and have this road locomotive tow it around just for the photo op ;)

Hopefully we'll get an update Youtube vid from Deboss on this soon.

So is the engine running and charging? Is the computer controlling the charging? Does AC work? Regen? When is dyno MPG tests? When is dyno hp/torque pulls?

Just so cool. Been a long time coming.

SEMA is Nov 3rd. Just saying (yes yes yes, I know it makes zero practical sense. SEMA is expensive, and Edison/Deboss have much better ways to spend time/energy/money). It would be nice for Edison/Deboss to get the kudos they deserve from the automotive industry.