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Tesla Pickup Truck
- Thread starter AnOutsider
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- Future Tesla
“Tesla priority is electrification of cars, so priority is Model S, Model X, then mass market third gen vehicle & truck.”
I am happy with Elon's ordering of priority, but something tells me the people expecting a next gen roadster are not going to be too happy. Also thought it made more sense to get the truck out first before a 2nd small niche roadster. Truck's are america's backbone and if Elon's company really wants to make a difference first, getting this truck out is more important then another toy for a few.
That and I am really sick of getting 12.5 MPG in my f150.
I am happy with Elon's ordering of priority, but something tells me the people expecting a next gen roadster are not going to be too happy. Also thought it made more sense to get the truck out first before a 2nd small niche roadster. Truck's are america's backbone and if Elon's company really wants to make a difference first, getting this truck out is more important then another toy for a few.
That and I am really sick of getting 12.5 MPG in my f150.
Al Sherman
It's about THIS car.
Without a doubt. Out here in flyover country trucks are everywhere. They are "family cars." It's not "do you have a truck?" But rather "what kind of truck do you have?" Drive by any church out here on a Sunday morning and 80% of the vehicles are trucks.
I'm more excited about the truck than I was about the Model S. We have tons of contractors and tradesmen out here that never drive their trucks outside of the range of the Model S. They are constantly complaining about the price of fuel. Elon has hinted that the Tesla truck will crush any half ton currently on the market. I believe him and can't wait. I will reserve one the first day it's possible. Seriously.
If the big three are worried about Tesla at any level; they should be terrified of the Tesla pickup.
I think they already are. A fellow headed from Canada through North Dakota hit heavy resistance from a Nissan dealer when he asked if he could charge his Model S there. Grand Forks, ND. That's truck country for sure.
Electric Bigfoot, this was posted on tmc somewhere a few months back, seems like it is worth posting again for those who may have missed it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U41fJ-pd2vE
Claiming that a Tesla truck will crush all other half tons is a big task. With a properly configured F150, you can tow up to 11,000 lbs and have a payload capacity of 2000 lbs, and still have a range over 400 miles in one fill up. I just don't see any way for an electric truck to do that. For those who only use a truck as a daily driver and don't use it like a truck, then sure it might be great. That's not crushing all other trucks, though.
I don't know man, they may be able to pull it off. Tesla already has experience with weight and suspension issues, I would think that has to be a problem with trucks. I know my f-150 sure fishtails when unloaded and it seems to me that tesla has a pretty good system for controlling a heavy vehicle and adjusting for weight distribution. They may be able to overcome the fishtail problems of trucks with battery weight placement. I think the big problem would be braking, I would not want a pickup towing a loaded trailer down a hill to hit a bump and lose regen..also, a side note, I want one!!!!
Elon said some time ago that it was possible to power Semi tractors electrically. I'm sure that a pickup with a moderate towing ability is doable.
Yes they do exactly that. I have a friend who is a conductor, he said they have been using them for years and years, I was floored. Then, thinking deeper I realized something, electric forklifts have also been around forever and cable cars too. Oh and by the way, if ever there was a vehicle where guys can fool their girls into letting them buy, it is a pick up. I know guys that have convinced their girl that they need a truck to tow tiny 500 lb trailer to the dump once a year, a trailer so small a yugo could pull it fully loaded with concrete and bricks.
edit: yugo pulling trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_Xygo2054Q
Raffy.Roma
Rome (Italy)
I just came back home from the gym and while I was driving in Rome I met a truck in front of me. The street was narrow and I couldn't overtake the truck. So I was forced to follow the truck and breathe the vapours coming from the pipe of the truck. I tried to switch off the air coming inside my car but I always smelled the vapours coming from the truck. It was really bad.
So I thought that the world needs as soon as possible electric trucks.
So I thought that the world needs as soon as possible electric trucks.
jeff_adams
Member
Electric school buses would be very nice. Those things are nasty to be stuck behind
Al Sherman
It's about THIS car.
As Billy Graham used to say: "Some day we're all gonna know one way or the other."
Yes trains use a series hybrid design, but there is no battery or power storage. Their version of regen breaking is all the energy produced goes to a big resistor at the top of the train (instead of back into a battery bank). The series hybrid approach is very compelling for pickup trucks due to the cost of the 150 kwh+ battery bank required to make a compelling truck which was discussed at length earlier in this discussion.
There's an opportunity for Tesla to quietly delight everyone. Now that the S is well underway, the design focus presumably pivots to Model X. When the same can be said for X being underway, the design team pivots to Gen III. Once they are into the 3rd round of production (I'm not counting original roadster) with Gen III, split the design team -- or at least have some of them split their time -- between truck and roadster development. Here's the delight part - MUZZLE MUSK about the Roadster. No hints. No wry smile. NOTHING. No prototype. The first public discussion of the Roadster should be a beta reveal.
If you want to delight everyone (except some persistent shorts) and watch the stock explode upwards, you do stuff like this.
"But but...I just bought a Tesla ___ and I would have waited if I knew...." Trade-in, just like with the S loaners.
For electric trains under wire, of course, the energy goes back into the wire.
Some diesel locomotives are starting to be built with batteries in a "car-style" series hybrid approach, but so far I think it's only been done with switchers (which start and stop a lot), not with road locomotives.
It has been argued that a series hybrid is the worst approach. Maximizes cost having large battery, powerful motor and powerful engine with all its dependent parts. Maximum weight. The Volt is usually a series hybrid and it is very expensive for what you get and has not been well received in the market. The Model S is outselling it despite being twice the price. The Volt doesn't do anything particularly well, but it doesn't have range anxiety.
Most other hybrids are parallel hybrids where the engine can drive the wheels. The Volt can be either series or parallel.
TonyWilliams
Active Member
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