Tesla Semi payload may be somewhat inferior to its diesel counterpart

Tesla Semi has travelled 804 kilometres with a cargo of around 37,000 kilograms. This is approximately one hundred per cent of the gross combination weight of the electric semi-Gross truck (GSW) Tesla Semi always carries a large traction battery, which does not yet comprise the most efficient 4680 cells.

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Joseph P Chacko
Joseph P Chacko
Joseph P. Chacko is the publisher of Frontier India. He holds an M.B.A in International Business. Books: Author: Foxtrot to Arihant: The Story of Indian Navy's Submarine Arm; Co Author : Warring Navies - India and Pakistan. *views are Personal

This week, Tesla will start delivering its first Semi electric long-haul trucks to first business customers. In October, production of these trucks began at a purpose-built plant in the state of Nevada in the United States. Tesla Semi is anticipated to have a range of 800 kilometres and will be the first to enter the market, followed by a car model designed to be more fuel efficient and have a range of 480 kilometres. The company has made it clear on multiple occasions that these figures are calculated based on the whole mass of a road train, which is around 36 tonnes. The previous month, Elon Musk stated that the Tesla Semi is capable of travelling over 800 kilometres on level ground. Now, he has tweeted that the Tesla Semi has travelled 804 kilometres with a cargo of around 37,000 kilograms, which is approximately one hundred per cent of the gross combination weight of the electric semi-Gross truck (GSW).

The Tesla Semi always carries a large traction battery, which does not yet comprise the most efficient 4680 cells, but rather the more numerous and, as a result, heavier 2170 cells. It is clear that the Tesla Semi may have a slightly lower payload than its diesel version as a result of this constant weight distribution. There are still issues regarding the pricing of the truck and its availability despite the fact that Tesla is continuing to sell its semi-trucks under contracts with major carriers in the United States. Throughout the entirety of his presentation in 2017, Elon Musk emphasised on multiple occasions that the operation of an electric battery truck would be substantially more profitable than that of a diesel truck. The ability to travel 500 miles (800 kilometres) without the need for recharging makes it possible to use such a vehicle for its intended purpose, provided that sufficient charging stations are located along the route. Drivers in the United States are required to pull over every eight hours for a rest break.

Following Musk’s tweet, it has been revealed that the automaker is performing a parameter check in preparation for the delivery of the first Tesla Semi on December 1. PepsiCo is one of the first fleet clients for the brand, having already reserved 100 Semis for its logistics operation, of which 15 are anticipated to be put into service by the end of the year. Prior to that, Musk’s tweet serves as a morale booster for those people who have been holding out hope for the Semi for a significant amount of time.

The CEO of Tesla is yet to release the speed of the electric vehicle or the amount of energy it consumed during the test drive. As Tesla has stated in the past, the use of electricity by the Semi is lower than 1.24 kWh per kilometre travelled. When the vehicle has travelled 804 kilometres, the capacity of the battery will, sensibly, be less than 1000 kWh.

When 2024 rolls around, Tesla plans to ramp up production to reach 50,000 vehicles annually dramatically. This would result in the daily production of more than one hundred vehicles, elevating it to the position of being the most prolific Class 8 truck producer in all of North America.

As per the information shown above, Elon Musk has once again overpromised while failing to deliver. But that doesn’t end there.

When Tesla first showed the Semi in November of 2017, Elon Musk announced that the vehicle’s production wouldn’t start until the following year. Even though potential customers like Walmart Inc. and Anheuser-Busch InBev SA placed deposits, the company finally decided to prioritise the production of Model 3 sedans and Model Y sport utility vehicles due to supply-chain issues.

Renault Trucks is aware that the Semi will be arriving late. The company made fun of Tesla in a video that was released a month ago. In the movie, two employees are seen erecting a billboard advertising the Tesla Semi and announcing that it is the future of trucking. After completing the billboard, the employees then drive away in an electric Renault truck. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners has announced that it plans to purchase Renault E-tech D and E-Tech D Wide trucks, both of which have a daily mileage capacity of approximately 200 kilometres. In an effort to cut down on carbon emissions, the bottler’s facilities in Belgium will be receiving an increased number of these trucks over the course of the next few months.

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