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Tesla Trucks

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Performance I don't really see as being an issue, its whether or not they perform reliably and meet their range claims that will be the real test. Electric motors have gobs of torque so pulling ought to be no issue at all.

If it does work out, for short local runs this might be a good solution. Known run length and "home" every day to recharge.
 
Application?
I can see local bulk transport of trailer freight loads. Much less so OTR where diesel power excels. Ideally, electric rail would be best for long haul bulk freight transport, diesel rail otherwise.
 
There's a Frito Lay distribution warehouse down the street on my way to and from my warehouse. Will have to see if one shows up in their yard, being here in Ca and all.
 
Will be great for shipping potato chips and stuffed animals or for local shipping. On wiki it states that Tesla projected it would be building 100,000 semis annually by 2022 so I wouldnt expect their range estimates to be accurate either. We now know a F150 with 1800 pounds of batteries can only go 120 miles pulling a small 4000 pound camper. So a 27,000 pound Semi with 11,000 pound battery pack doesnt stand a chance going much over 150 miles pulling a 40,000 pound trailer, that is 67,000 pounds needing to be moved vs 11,000 pounds for a F150 and a small camper.

That article covers delivering potato chips which weigh 13oz for a large bag, replace cases of potato chips with cases of pepsi and the weight increases well over 10 fold. It will be interesting when smaller independent trucking companies load it with 40,000 pound trailers and start reporting actual range figures and labor cost increases for charging wait times.
 
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Problem will always be hauling batteries which cuts into payload. Trading one for the other compromises either range or payload. Overhead wires similar to electric trains and buses makes sense for commercial EV. There is no downtime for charging and the range and endurance of the vehicle is limited only by overhead wire coverage.
 
Maybe for Long Distance overhead wires are needed like they used to use to power streetcars and likely still use in the EU for rail lines.

Maybe useful for the big pickups and SUVS too! lol!

Would solve the winter weather problem also!
 
gadget73 said:
would make a lot more sense to fix our train system and use those for long haul vs stringing catenary lines above the highways.
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Something abt OTR taxes paying for interstate hiway maintainance vs rail freight transport emphasis?
 
not even that, just the logistics of a massive network of overhead power cables for a pickup arm attached to a vehicle that has steering wheels makes no sense. Makes perfect sense with rail though, the train isn't going to move relative to the overhead line unless something really bad happens.
 
yea, bigger battery fires!

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gadget73 said:
would make a lot more sense to fix our train system and use those for long haul vs stringing catenary lines above the highways.
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I'm no expert on this topic, but I read recently that we mistakenly built all the big distribution warehouses away from rail lines and next to freeways instead specifically to use trucks. Apparently, there is now regret over that idea.
 
WillVT said:
I find it slightly ironic that these new high tech trucks are finally here, and the first thing they get used for is...hauling junk food? We humans have funny priorities.
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Pepsi tries to keep (or re-acquire) positive image, considering it makes junk food and drinks and sells bottled water packaged into plastic. Now they suddenly care for the environment, but if you consider how much water, energy and other resources went into making huge batteries for these trucks, the eco-friendliness is questionable.
 
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Saw a Tesla truck this evening on it's way to the Frito Lay distribution center close to my warehouse. Looks nice.
 
SoCal Sam said:
Overhead wires similar to electric trains and buses makes sense for commercial EV.
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Re: city buses, these were rampant @ Chicago in The Sixties. Then, seemingly overnight, they were gone, replaced by ICE (diesel). By mid Seventies they were gone. We still have Electric Train that serves the Loop down to around the 10th Ward @ the South Side. Ridership peaks b/w The Loop and Hyde Park; not much in the way of commutin' to jobs or shopping goin' on south of Hyde Park. But y'all get to look at a lotta empty lots and imagine what was and what mighta been if only...
 
PS: It'll be a -- ahem -- "gas" to see an EV powered semi hauling a load of ICE vehicles to a car lot.

Like, Carlin ~ Marx Brothers good.
 
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