Tesla has not wavered from their commitment to delivering the best class 8 truck out there
Why do we need the Tesla Semi?
Semis make up 1% of all US vehicles, roughly a few hundred thousand today
Semis account for 20% of total vehicle emissions
Semis are responsible for over 1/3 of all vehicle-related US particulate emissions
Tesla Vehicle Lineup
Tesla wanted to make the Semi fun and be enjoyable for the drivers, “It’s a Beast”
Big shortage of Semi drivers so Tesla hopes this will encourage more folks to take up over the road trucking
Tesla Semi fast to accelerate, fast to brake, a big step change on what it’s like to drive a Semi truck according to Elon
Powertrain & Efficiency
Tesla Semi has 3x the power of any diesel semi on the road today
500 miles on a single charge with a full load
First Tesla vehicle based on the new 1000V powertrain, more vehicles will use this powertrain in the future
Able to leverage existing tech in Semi that is already produced at volume (power train, battery cells, infotainment, HVAC, etc.)
Tried and true technology enables them to start with a more powerful & reliable initial product
Tesla tested the Semi in every imaginable way including in the real world and in the lab
Tesla plans to use the Semi in their own supply chains to get the most data from their own feedback loops to enable rapid refinement
Tesla is already running several Semis 24×7 between Sparks, NV and Fremont, CA
Tesla Semi uses drive units w/ carbon sleeved rotors just like in the Plaid Model S & X
Clutched automatically so power delivery is always smooth and ready when the driver needs it
2 of the drive units shutdown while cruising on the freeway
The drive units are the size of a football and something you can carry in your hands
No runaway situations because there are no gears to miss and able to take full advantage of regenerative braking from drive units
Traction control automatically stops the truck from jack knifing which isn’t possible with regular diesel trucks
Able to accelerate up a 6% incline like Donner Pass
Tesla Semi commonly has cold brakes after coming down large hills thanks to the powerful regenerative braking
Tesla will post the entire video on youtube unedited to prove the range figures above
500 miles of range achieved with full load, no special aero treatment, no charging along the way, etc.
1 small resting break (30 minutes) for the driver (mandatory)
Tesla Semi is shaped like a bullet
2 kWh / mi energy consumption
Next level engineering required to bring the Tesla Semi to market
Ease of Use
As easy to drive as a Model 3
Drivers have the ability to stand up in the cab, unheard of with similar class trucks
More cargo space as well for tools and other cargo
Single-touch suspension dump
Design team focused on a lot of typical driver workflows and developed the truck to always accommodate the driver
Charging
3x the current Supercharger cable density
New V4 Superchargers immerse the conductors in coolant and doing some secret sauce isolation monitoring on the backend to deliver 1MW of power
The V4 charging cable used by the Tesla Semi will also be supported by the CyberTruck!
Tesla is working with Semi customers to build charging infrastructure at their facilities with megapacks to ensure that operations are never disrupted no matter what
First delivery
Completed first delivery to Modesto factory from Giga Nevada and brought back a load of snacks
