Tesla Semi competition

[TSemi]

This is what the Tesla Semi will be competing against in the Class 8 heavy-duty EV truck market.

First there is Peterbilt 579EV and the Kenworth T680E from PACCAR

Both use the Meritor Blue Horizon 14Xe tandem electric powertrain with regenerative braking.

Meritor uses UQM motors that are integrated in the powertrain and has a two-speed gearbox.

The Kenworth T680E is equipped with 536 hp continuous power and up to 670 hp peak power and 1,623 lb-ft of torque. Meritor’s high/low voltage power electronics – provided by TransPower – are under the hood in the place of a diesel engine.
Meritor uses a Nickel Manganese Cobalt battery pack. DC Fast charging 3.5 hours

In 2018 the Peterbilt 579 electric conversion was powered by TransPower. TransPower was acquired by Meritor in January 2020.

The range of both Peterbilt 579E and Kenworth T680E are 150 miles.


Next is the Lion8 from Lion Electric from Canada.

Maximum Power 536 kW(718 HP) Maximum Torque 5,300 ft-lb Range 210 miles Battery Capacity 588 kWh
Direct drive.
Charge time Level III 3-7 hours
No mention of regenerative brakes on website but does in a press release.

 

[TSemi]

Volvo VNR

Volvo VNR Electric on display at the VTNA New River Valley plant in Dublin, VA

Volvo says by the end of 2021 the VNR will have an enhanced electric driveline and next-generation batteries with more density. more power, more range and be available as an 80,000 lbs GCW(gross combined weight) tractor.

So we will have to wait on more details I guess.

 

[TSemi]

Freightliner eCascadia

Horsepower 360-525
Max GCW 82k lbs
Range 250 miles
Battery Capacity 475 kWh
Recharge 80% in 90 min.

 

[EVortex]

With new competition on the horizon, what should Tesla do to further differentiate its semi truck? In addition to range increases, Tesla should focus on minimizing charging time, having convenient charging stations that are semi friendly, and making the price as competitive as possible through design and manufacturing innovation.

 

[ThomasD]

They really need to shorten the charge times

 

[TSemi]

Just in:
Portland and Daimler team up for 5MW electric semi public charging ‘Island’



Portland and Daimler team up for 5MW electric semi public charging 'Island' - Electrek

"The site was designed to host up to 5 MW of charging infrastructure. The use of on-site energy storage and advanced charge management software could enable additional capacity in the future. The site will initially include chargers that output 200kW or less from a number of different, leading manufacturers of equipment, including but not limited to: ABB, BTC Power, ChargePoint, Power Electronics and Proterra. We are exploring the future deployment of charging infrastructure capable of up to 1.5 MW as technology progresses."

 

[ThomasD]

Will these trucks be heavier or lighter than current trucks? If lighter that would be great. If heavier it will cut down on the weight of the load it can carry. Now companies will have to pay their drivers to sit for however long it takes to charge one of these trucks. Musk also said with the Tesla Semi he would guarantee a certain price per KWH How low of a charge will these companies let these trucks get before recharging? I was thinking these trucks would charge at 25 miles and only charging to 80% would give an effective range of about 175 miles

 

[SmartElectric]

The above site "designed for up to 5MW" presumably covers stall layouts and power requirements for local 480V voltage access.

For reference Tesla V3 supercharger is 250kW per stall, and there are now 40 V3 stall sites coming online, math = 10MW.

 

[TSemi]

Volvo VNR Series
Tesla Semi gains companion in Volvo VNR Electric Class-8 truck

 

[SmartElectric]

Interesting to see Volva sticking with a legacy design for the motor + transmission and transfer case to the rear axles.
Tesla is using direct drive motor per wheel approach, which seems more likely to be cheaper and more optimal for efficiency.

 

[AMPd]

Freightliner eCascadia
View attachment 613417

Horsepower 360-525
Max GCW 82k lbs
Range 250 miles
Battery Capacity 475 kWh
Recharge 80% in 90 min.

250 miles of range would be DOA. That’s as useless as it gets.

 

[TSemi]

Lion Offering ChargePoint EV Charging
Lion Offering ChargePoint EV Charging

Lion Electric announced it will offer ChargePoint’s full line of commercial chargers and cloud services under a new reseller agreement, further expanding LionEnergy’s offering of charging hardware and software solutions.


LionEnergy is a dedicated division within electric-vehicle manufacturer Lion Electric, focused on simplifying the process of electrifying fleets for customers and streamlining the process of EV charging station installation. LionEnergy’s offering encompasses charging infrastructure design and review, project management, utility coordination, and customized consultation, ensuring its customers’ infrastructure installation is accomplished in tandem with the vehicle purchasing process. LionEnergy previously announced it was offering ABB’s complete charging equipment product line.

“LionEnergy’s mission is to offer our clients a wide range of end-to-end infrastructure solutions, from level 2 to ultra-fast DC charging stations," explained Marc-Andre Page, VP, commercial operations, at Lion Electric, in a news release. "With both AC and DC solutions, along with high-quality fleet management software, ChargePoint’s technology is ideally suited for heavy-duty transportation customers."

Lion makes all-electric Class 5 to Class 8 commercial urban trucks and buses, assembled and built in North America. The company says it has more than 300 all-electric vehicles on the road today, with over 6 million real-world miles driven.

 

[Cal1]

I didn't notice anyone mentioning Daimler spinning off their truck division. I see this as a real insight to their full EV crisis. They know their trucks have no chance against our semi and need to remove the losing truck division before it really affects the overall company bottom line. Easier to let Freightliner just die on its own.

 

[EVortex]

Even with local hauling only, the Volvos seem like they would be in constant need of charging and 70 minutes for 80% SoC is too long for 100 or so miles.