https://www.thestreet.com/story/14388105/1/what-we-know-about-teslas-semi-truck.html
Related:
UPS To Convert Diesel Trucks To Electric Truck For NYC Deliveries
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2017/11/ups-convert-diesel-trucks-to-electric-nyc/
https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/17/16669024/tesla-roadster-2017-fastest-car-world
0 to 60 in 1.9 seconds :o
J.B. Hunt, Wal-Mart climb aboard Tesla's electric truck
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-truck-jb-hunt-trans/j-b-hunt-wal-mart-climb-aboard-teslas-electric-truck-idUSKBN1DH1GH
The time for companies to catch the new announcement hype wagon has faded, so I'm thinking this e-semi project is growing legs. I've seen 3 or 4 headlines saying that the price for the rig is surprisingly competitive. This doesn't surprise me too much, as I've said that e-v tech is cheaper than combustion tech once we get past the development stage. I suspect Musk is eating the bleeding edge dev costs to buy market share.
DHL Supply Chain places order for 10 Tesla Electric Class 8 Semi Trucks
http://www.dpdhl.com/en/media_relations/press_releases/2017/dhl_supply_chain_places_order_for_10_tesla_electric_class_8_semi_trucks.html
>>I've said that e-v tech is cheaper
Also, we keep talking about how truck driver jobs are threatened, but currently, it's actually a challenge for companies to find qualified drivers. With our hills and twists and turns, lots of professional drivers are not "qualified." They don't even know how to downshift on the hills. I have multiple times seen trucks with the brakes on fire.
These trucks, because of the electric power train and braking system, I think it will take a lot less skill to drive, opening the pool of drivers for urban and mountain routes where shifting and braking are hard. And cut down on repairs like for brakes on fire
>>combustion tech
>braking
Yeah, I just shortened my phraseology to combustion tech but it's far more than just the propulsion system. E-V tech cuts out the middleman (sensors & servos) in a raft of vehicle subsystems. Braking is probably the best example.
Yup, I understood that. I was trying to say that these systems also make it easier to find drivers. So it's not just the savings you get when a given set of drivers drives a different power train. It's that you also have a bigger pool of drivers (I would think) because training time is shorter - less time learning how to shift and manage speeds with engine compression and all that.
So there's the obvious savings - fewer components, no oil changes, less brake wear
But I think there's a less obvious savings - quicker to train drivers
The timing is perfect. There are new regulations in place for truck drivers that have them nearly up in arms.
https://www.vox.com/videos/2017/11/20/16670266/trucking-eld-surveillance
ELDs are a death knell for long-haul independent drivers.
Anheuser-Busch reserves 40 Tesla electric trucks
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-trucks-buyers/budweiser-maker-anheuser-busch-reserves-40-tesla-electric-trucks-idUSKBN1E11V9
PepsiCo makes biggest public pre-order of Tesla Semis: 100 trucks
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pepsico-tesla-orders/pepsico-makes-biggest-public-pre-order-of-tesla-semis-100-trucks-idUSKBN1E61FB
Looks like Tesla is past the tipping point with the new rig. Now on to the hard part; getting it actually produced.
Numbers starting to add up for Tesla trucks: DHL execQuoteWe are estimating that we could have pay back within a year-and-a-half based on energy usage as well as lower maintenance cost
https://in.reuters.com/article/dhl-tesla/numbers-starting-to-add-up-for-tesla-trucks-dhl-exec-idINKCN1G71J8