Semi spotted in the wild!

[S'toon]

At first I thought this was something very different... not sure why I clicked it. I guess the internet has ruined me lol.

Clean looking truck though!

Hey yeah. Where are all the dead bugs?

 

[redgt]

My two cents.... someone needs to capture vids of this rig passing other ICE rigs going up steep grades, like the Coquhala (ada Highway from Hell) east of Hope, British Columbia and send them up to YT.

Seeing is believing.. and video proof of the Tesla Semi passing other rigs going up hill will be nail in the coffin for those who can not see the future for the clouds of diesel fumes.

Cheers, Hugh-SG

You've obviously never towed with a EV

 

[DavidB]

Is this likely the formerly wrapped red one? Or is the “red one” actually the black one from the reveal?

The red semi at the shareholders meeting had the California "Cal Apportioned" license plate XP24262. OP's photos are of the semi with the plate XP24261.

 

[Tobyw]

No kidding. So many opportunities to follow it (at a safe and respectful distance) through the mountains and shoot some video. Come on, YouTubers, let's see some Semi hillclimb action.

Tesla should be able to get any amount of performance they want out of a mule by adding battery packs and drive motors. The MFG price on that stuff should be pretty small. I wonder if they have considered a low profile model trailer and tractor for dense cargo, looks like they could cut frontal area, hence drag,in half.

 

[Watts_Up]

Semi spotted in the wild!

The Tesla Semi seems to have steal the show:

Tesla Semi leads electric car fleet to join employees at San Francisco’s Pride Parade
Teslarati.com, BySimon Alvarez, Posted on July 1, 2019​

 

[ZoomsansVroom]

Are they sleeper cabs or is that battery storage?

 

[AMPd]

Tesla should be able to get any amount of performance they want out of a mule by adding battery packs and drive motors. The MFG price on that stuff should be pretty small. I wonder if they have considered a low profile model trailer and tractor for dense cargo, looks like they could cut frontal area, hence drag,in half.

It’s not as simple as just adding batteries. They need to keep the truck under a certain weight, to not cut into the weight the truck can haul.

 

[ZoomsansVroom]

There might be some real opportunities to create lighter trailers.

Some of them, especially straight, refrigerated trucks, seem inordinately heavy.

 

[adiggs]

There might be some real opportunities to create lighter trailers.

Some of them, especially straight, refrigerated trucks, seem inordinately heavy.

I'm curious if that's something you're guessing at, or if you work in the industry and think that trailer builders build "inordinately heavy" trailers (for the cost) - that they're not building them as light (and cheap) that still makes them functional.

Or is there some technology disruption in trailer manufacturing that the current trailer manufacturers are missing.


I'm not in the industry, so I really don't know.

 

[Big Earl]

Any new Semi sightings lately?

 

[FreqFlyer]

Semi trailers are already light for what they do, especially compared to trailers just 20 years ago. The lower the tare weight, the more the trailer can legally carry.

 

[ZoomsansVroom]

I'm curious if that's something you're guessing at, or if you work in the industry and think that trailer builders build "inordinately heavy" trailers (for the cost) - that they're not building them as light (and cheap) that still makes them functional.

Or is there some technology disruption in trailer manufacturing that the current trailer manufacturers are missing.


I'm not in the industry, so I really don't know.

Semi trailers are already light for what they do, especially compared to trailers just 20 years ago. The lower the tare weight, the more the trailer can legally carry.

I suspect that would explain it. I'm only in the business of buying some straight trucks, and looking at tractor trailers as a company purchase - but it was a long time ago - and I just realized how long ago...

It might have taken some time for the weight savings to trickle down to refrigerated straight trucks...

 

[Maximilien]

View attachment 420293
We saw the Tesla Semi at the Kettleman City SC! 1 of only 2 in existence! The driver sits in the middle of the cab flanked by two M3 landscape screens.
The two engineers who were driving it were super friendly and full of answers. They said take pictures post to Instagram, Facebook, Amazon.
View attachment 420298

Awesome vehicle, but the wheels ruined the beauty!!

 

[Blup85]

Just curious, I know the "Truck" side of the outlet has been shown, but has the Supercharger plug dual inlet 4 port gun like "plug" been shown? Dont want to show something that is confidential.
Thanks

 

[AMPd]

At the Truckee CHP Weigh Station
Notice the yellow sticker on windshield. This truck has been inspected by CHP

 

[kpedraja]

How many drive motors does it have? I wonder if the motor whine is more audible than with a smaller vehicle.

 

[Cirrus MS100D]

How many drive motors does it have? I wonder if the motor whine is more audible than with a smaller vehicle.

There are some earlier videos (during the reveal and a UPS IIRC?) that had it definitely louder than an average BEV car when flooring it, but it wasn’t anything crazy.

 

[Blup85]

View attachment 442182 View attachment 442183 View attachment 442184

At the Truckee CHP Weigh Station
Notice the yellow sticker on windshield. This truck has been inspected by CHP

looks like roughly 27,000lbs load, give or take a ton

 

[AMPd]

looks like roughly 27,000lbs load, give or take a ton

A little more than that
Gross weight was roughly 75k
They are testing out the range, according to the driver they are getting better results than estimated

 

[Blup85]

Hmm. those blocks are usually around 3 or 4k lbs. What do we think the truck weighs? I count 9 blocks, but maybe there are more? The trailer looks like it still has camber in it?