All this has been done, clear back into the 1920's, as far as electric over mechanical, what has changed is the control circuits. Linear actuators are usually a bi directional motor mounted 90 deg to the log axis, the motor pinion engages a worm gear which is internally threaded onto the 'cylinder rod'. They control all this schidt with square wave DC and you knew it...computer boards. It's great stuff, developed into a fine art in railroad service, marine and hugely successful and profitable. IMO though, as the work environment gets harsher the little things that crash the system are always, supply voltage, wiring, Bosch connectors, vibration, heat, cold, and sensor failure. The same things that causes the endless complaints of engine light in the pickup you drive. One other thing that is a problem that has never been addressed, starting under load. Electric don't like it. So then they have to compound wind the motors and provide the switch gear to handle 2 types of current for one motor. These problems will be solved, but not tomorrow. 30 years from now they'll look back at electric vehicles and just laugh at our first efforts.
