exalt
You said. "now i understand that you can have a IC engine that can be used as a generator to power a battery to run a truck."
Yes this concept was introduced by the Automatic Lift Truck Company out of Chicago in the mid to late 1960s. It was called a Ready Power unit designed to be fitted onto large capacity electric forklift. This was developed under the direction of a fellow "the late Thomas J. Finlayson". He became my first sales/marketing boss at Allis-Chalmers in 1969. Automatic was later bought out by Eaton Yale & Towne which eventually became Hyster - Yale Material Handling.