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Tesla has started production of fully electric trucks, Tesla Semi Trucks, which are set to be delivered on December 1.in 2022 to the companyPepsi. The manufacturer of world-famous carbonated drinks is set to receive 100 of the first models, as announced by Tesla CEO Elon Musk on his Twitter account on October 9.
Advantages of a truck
The main feature of the Tesla Semi Truck is the presence of the latest version of autopilot, which can help avoid collisions. This technology involves placing the driver in the center of the cabin, ensuring maximum visibility and control.
The truck will also impress with its performance – the manufacturer claims that the vehicle can travel300-500 miles without energy replenishment, consuming less than 2 kilowatts of energy per hour. Such efficiency will allow for savings of up to200 000dollars on fuel.
The Tesla Semi Trucks owe their performance to four independent motors on the rear axles, which can accelerate the vehicle to 60 miles per hour in 20 seconds.
5-year delay since the announcement
Tesla announced the creation of a fully electric truck with autonomous driving capabilities, to be called the Semi Truck, back inIn 2017.At that time, information was circulating that the first batch of such machines was to be received by the American industrial giant Pepsi.
However, in addition to the manufacturer of highly carbonated beverages, Walmart, UPS, and Anheuser-Busch have shown interest in electric trucks. Over the course of 5 years, Tesla’s engineers created prototypes and refined design solutions before road testing.
According to Musk, the reason for the delay in the production of the Tesla Semi Truck is several unevennesses in the road surface, but the vehicles have been adapted to them. Therefore, the trucks are now ready for mass production.
Still in DecemberIn 2017, Pepsi placed a pre-order forTesla Semi Truck: the first production batch of 100 vehicles has been placed at the Gigafactory Nevada. This facility has equipment that will allow for the production of 5 trucks per week.
Pepsi’s plans for using electric trucks are also known: the company intends to transform its Frito-Lay factory in Modesto, California, into an environmentally friendly industrial facility with zero harmful emissions.
The rules of the game are changing.
Tesla has laid the groundwork for a change in the freight transportation sector. With the release of the Tesla Semi, which has a useful range of 500 km and an efficiency of less than 2 kW, significant savings can be achieved. At a cost of 20 cents per kilowatt, one can pay 40 cents per operational mile.
In other words, companies that spend $80,000 a year on fuel could achieve significant savings. If the electrification of the industry is successful, emissions from freight transport could be reduced. One can hope that other truck manufacturers, not just American but also European and Japanese, will follow Tesla’s example.
