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Tesla Truck

jalopnik.com

9 pointsnlolks12 comments

Can someone explain to me how this can be taken seriously? It seems to me like trucks are already weight-limited in a way that cars aren't, so the immense weight of these batteries would hurt a lot for moving stuff.

Might be some sort of a hybrid.

Also, I am not entirely sure, but I would think removing an ICE and transmission would save a lot of weight.

I didn't look into the transmission, but it looks like those engines tend to be about 2600 lb. For comparison, the model S 85kwhr battery is just below half that.

So the idea may have more merit for short- and medium- range trucking than I suspected.

Take a look at BDY Company. They already have electric trucks

Maybe it's for last mile trucking? Smaller batteries wouldn't way as much, but the economics might still work out ok.

It's not a long haul from the Nevada lithium mines Tesla has signed contracts with (or rather, evaporation ponds) to the Gigafactory. Tesla even got the Nevada DOT to change a truck route for them to shorten the route.

A Tesla semi need not go far at first, only far enough.

Nikola truck design uses a natural gas turbine to charge the batteries. Lower weight, longer distance, 6 wheel drive, better performance... I expect Tesla to beat this.

https://nikolamotor.com/one

Have you looked at the Nikola website recently? They switched to hydrogen fuel cells plus a battery.

No, missed that. Interesting.

Pickup...okay I guess.

Semi truck...Huh? Those almost always drive very long distances, the sort of use that just isn't a Tesla's strength. I wonder what the reasoning is.

There are a lot of semis (with no sleeper) used for intra urban delivery such as from a major grocery warehouse to your local grocery store. Last 40 miles.

I would think the main benefit of an electric truck is that the motor achieves its peak torque at 0 RPM. Very useful for accelerating

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