Tesla semi truck

[Savago]

I was highly skeptical of an electric semi truck, but it seems that Enlon Musk did it again:
https://www.producthunt.com/posts/tesla-semi

A few facts:
a) Fastest acceleration than any diesel semi truck. It can also do 65 miles/h (fully loaded) in 5% grade vs 45 miles/h in a typical diesel semi!
b) Range of 500 miles (fully loaded, highway speed).
c) 80.000lbs GVW.
d) Unbreakable windshield.
e) Warranty of 1.000.000 miles.
f) App with the whole truck diagnosis.
g) Operating cost of USD 1.26/mile vs USD 1.52/mile for a diesel truck.
h) Enhanced autopilot: if the driver has a medical emergency, the truck stays in the lane and will slow down to the side of the road, avoiding other vehicles and pedestrians. Once stopped, it will call for help.
i) Break pads last a lonnng time (as the electric engines are used for breaking).
h) Jackniffing is impossible, as the 4 independent electric motors will handle it adjusting the amount of torque in each wheel.

If they can really deliver on all this, I guess diesel trucks will become a thing of the past.
:-P

[Rams]

Walmart will test Tesla Semi trucks for transporting merchandise
https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/17/walmart-tesla-semi-test/

The Tesla Semi already has one very large guinea pig for an electric fleet: Walmart. The retail juggernaut has some 6,000 trucks and moves merchandise all over the country and as of last May, it was the world's largest retailer. The company eyeing EVs for logistics sends a pretty clear message about the viability of the tech's commercial applications. And Walmart isn't the only company interested in Tesla's truck. According to Bloomberg, trucking logistics company J.B. Hunt and grocery chain Meijer have also reserved multiple Semis.

"We believe we can learn how this technology performs within our long-term sustainability goals, such as lowering emissions," Walmart said in a statement to CNBC. This pilot program for the 500-mile range trucks likely won't start anytime soon. After all, Musk said that Tesla Semi tricks won't start production until 2019.

Walmart has other options too: Mercedes has its own all-electric semi, as does diesel-maker Cummins. They're shorter range, but given Tesla has fallen behind schedule for Model 3 production, the alternatives could be road ready before Musk's fleet.

These are proven to be successful business models, putting these trucks to the tests is good for all of us.   

[Psychotic Bovine]

500 miles would not be a long enough range for a driver to use all of his hours of service.
Also, Tesla has noticeable not listed the truck's weight.  This is very important, since the more a truck weighs, the less it can haul legally.  A good weight for a truck is around 18,500.  Any more than that, and you cannot haul over 45,000 lbs of freight (that's an important number).  And the driver can intentionally put less fuel in when he knows he might be hauling more. 
What's the range when it sits overnight in the freezing cold?  What will the range be if the truck is keeping the driver warm or cool during his bunk time?
Also, no hint at a price. 

[Rams]

500 miles would not be a long enough range for a driver to use all of his hours of service.
Also, Tesla has noticeable not listed the truck's weight.  This is very important, since the more a truck weighs, the less it can haul legally.  A good weight for a truck is around 18,500.  Any more than that, and you cannot haul over 45,000 lbs of freight (that's an important number).  And the driver can intentionally put less fuel in when he knows he might be hauling more. 
What's the range when it sits overnight in the freezing cold?  What will the range be if the truck is keeping the driver warm or cool during his bunk time?
Also, no hint at a price. 

Agreed.  An acquaintance I have owns stock in Tesla and tells me Walmart bought 15 trucks for testing purposes.   We'll see how it works out.

[hubcapsc]

What will the range be if the truck is keeping the driver warm or cool during his bunk time?

Perhaps, in a fleet, like at WalMart, they'll plan for charging at the endpoints, which
will (mostly?) be those giant WalMart merchandise centers like we have here in Laurens SC,
or they'll be at WalMarts stores themselves...

-Mike

[Savago]

It is like Musk mentioned in the video, 80% of the cases the route is less than 500 miles.

For the other 20% of the cases, I guess the diesels still have it secured (at least until batteries improve the range *or* enable fast charging).

[Gavin_Sons]

80% charge in 30 minutes? Nice 

[Rams]

80% charge in 30 minutes? Nice 

We'll also see if that holds true. 

[Gavin_Sons]

80% charge in 30 minutes? Nice 

We'll also see if that holds true. 

This is Tesla we are talking about. They do not tell half truths. We are actually building some machines for their factory in California at my work.

[RDKLL]

The flatbed outfit that I drove for was 90 percent less than 500 miles. I think our longest was 534 miles and the biggest majority was <400 miles
Our empty weight was low enough to put a single 53K lb coil on the deck and be legal...so weight would be important for that type of load

[old2soon]

I could scale 45000 easy at Heartland when I drove for them. When I drove the dry bulk tank out of Texas I could scale 49000. Heartland hauled a LOT of water-bottled-for wally wurld. You couldn't scale 45000 you couldn't haul for wally wurld. Some loads paid by the hundred weight-more weight more money. Used to see a Lot of steel coils out of Gary In. to Detroit. Be interesting to see  how this plays out. These things take hold watch tricity rates go up. AND What and How much More must be burned to generate that extra tricity?? Inquiring minds and likea dat. RIDE SAFE.

[Alpha Dog]

I wonder if they will have Box or Straight trucks rated at less than 26k that I could use in my business.

[..]

500 miles would not be a long enough range for a driver to use all of his hours of service.
Also, Tesla has noticeable not listed the truck's weight.  This is very important, since the more a truck weighs, the less it can haul legally.  A good weight for a truck is around 18,500.  Any more than that, and you cannot haul over 45,000 lbs of freight (that's an important number).  And the driver can intentionally put less fuel in when he knows he might be hauling more. 
What's the range when it sits overnight in the freezing cold?  What will the range be if the truck is keeping the driver warm or cool during his bunk time?
Also, no hint at a price. 

What driver? That's the goal. Driverless.

[old2soon]

500 miles would not be a long enough range for a driver to use all of his hours of service.
Also, Tesla has noticeable not listed the truck's weight.  This is very important, since the more a truck weighs, the less it can haul legally.  A good weight for a truck is around 18,500.  Any more than that, and you cannot haul over 45,000 lbs of freight (that's an important number).  And the driver can intentionally put less fuel in when he knows he might be hauling more. 
What's the range when it sits overnight in the freezing cold?  What will the range be if the truck is keeping the driver warm or cool during his bunk time?
Also, no hint at a price. 

                Dasn't KNOW bout anyone else here BUT 80000 lbs and NO Driver?  At this point in time they can't even git a small cage to operate sans driver 100% of the time without incident. Yes-robotics are advancing. Can they define the watery feeling I have in my gut at the first sign of slippage on ice? Is it-puter-smart enough to git under a bridge in a hail storm to protect the vehicle? Will it-puter-know what to do when a front tire blows out? Will the optics differentiate between overspray from the road and fog/rain/snow? The Mark 1 Mod 1 eyeball is still what I trust. RIDE SAFE.

What driver? That's the goal. Driverless.