Tesla semi is ill conceived...

[Farmertom]

Thanks for invitation, but wrong continent. It is easier to ask young relative when I seem him. I guess he drives heavier truck than you, but not one of these:
104-tonninen monsterirekka aloitti puunkuljetukset Lapissa
Total 104 000 kg
cargo 77 000 kg
length 33 m
fuel usage 65 - 80 l/100 km
Fetches wood from 68°39′N, 027°33′E, so not easiest conditions. Next sunrise at end of January.

You're right, I've only been to 75,000kg and 35m so far and 63,500kg all the way to 38m a few times (usually we go to 25m). I've run these in all conditions including busy highways and ice roads up north a few times. Nowadays I usually stay home when conditions deteriorate to -30, near zero visibility and/or snow drifts deeper than a foot.

I have newer seen or heard truck driving slower than legal limit 80 km/h, because of wind. You say crosswind is worse than headwind. Normal truck has gaps between truck and trailer and under it. Crosswind going through those gets accelerated to speed of the truck. This increases engine load. In Tesla semi those gaps are closed. So crosswind has less effect than headwind for Tesla semi.

Guess what? It happens at least a couple times every year here. In extreme winds I can out pull five axle units loaded to 80,000lb with an eight axle unit grossing 136,000lb just because I'm almost three feet lower than them. This is on flat ground, the wind hits us about 45 to 60 degrees from the left. They are impossible to get past as when they get into my leeward side they can accelerate and stay with me. The speed limit is 110km/hr and we are usually drifting anywhere from 80 to 110 depending on gusts and such.

If I understood correctly: If steering axle has less than 11 klbs on it, truck cannot weight full 80 klbs. Moving fifth wheel forward would help. But they don't need to do it. It takes years before they can produce even 1% of new trucks sold. They don't need to make truck for everybody. Truck for 1% is enough for years. They need hundreds trucks to transport their own products. Can they produce those in one year?

They don't need to because they are so heavy?

Steering car with electric motor on each wheel has been done and it works well. For example Rimac: Rimac Automobili Concept_One

Of course it will work with semi. I'm certain Tesla has tested it and found it prevents jackknifing, but I don't believe they have found all possible conditions.

Steering a vehicle with motors on each wheel isn't the issue, you stated they were controlling the steering by manipulating the motors (using wheel brakes on a farm tractor), whole different concept...

If all weight is on driving wheels, 3 s 0-60 mph causes no traction problems. For faster acceleration softer tires are needed. Those do not last long. Truck tires should last long under heavy load, not so good under light load. I don't know acceleration times on those videos or what they have done for tires. It is interesting to see effect of motor torque on truck frame.

Those are regular truck tires, there's not enough market for racing tires for trucks. Possibly Michelins as they have softer casings. Doesn't really matter, 0 to 65 in 5 seconds with a truck is totally possible traction wise.

Lithium batteries are not only theory. We know what they can do. We can roughly estimate what truck needs. Answer is not exact, but we know it is not enormously heavy...

...when they figure out how to pack at least twice as much energy into them.[/QUOTE]

 

[Farmertom]

I don’t think I would have thought this until I owned an electric car and truly lived the superior torque of electric motors, but the exhaust coming off of those trucks is so disgusting, inferior, and primitive.

It really thrills me that Tesla is going after the semi market. I think it will really drive the point home to the masses that the electric drivetrain is superior in every way. And eventually it will be superior in every way with no compromise, lots of investing still to be done however. The rest of the manufacturers just need to jump on board.

No, they are not clean but traction was point.

Electricity will have it's own issues, just watch...

 

[jkn]

They don't need to because they are so heavy?

They simply cannot manufacture enough. Battery production is also limiting it. I guess Walmart is always limited by volume, not by weight:

Even if Tesla semi cannot pull heaviest loads, they have customer for every truck they can produce.

Steering a vehicle with motors on each wheel isn't the issue, you stated they were controlling the steering by manipulating the motors (using wheel brakes on a farm tractor), whole different concept...

Rimac and others have computer controlling torque on each wheel. This is used to help steering. Farm tractor can only use brakes with slow human reaction time, but principle is same. Computer can react so fast that system is used at very high speeds.

Those are regular truck tires, there's not enough market for racing tires for trucks. Possibly Michelins as they have softer casings. Doesn't really matter, 0 to 65 in 5 seconds with a truck is totally possible traction wise.

Could they spray something on tire to make rubber softer? Interesting question is: Can regular truck tires do better that 5 s acceleration? If not then Tesla semi is limited be traction and we don't know its mass.

...when they figure out how to pack at least twice as much energy into them.

My guess is that battery energy density can double, but not more without metal-air batteries. Impurities in air could prevent recharging of those.

Tesla semi will come to market with better batteries, but not twice as good we have now. Current batteries are good enough for semi.

 

[Farmertom]

They simply cannot manufacture enough. Battery production is also limiting it. I guess Walmart is always limited by volume, not by weight:

Even if Tesla semi cannot pull heaviest loads, they have customer for every truck they can produce.

Might want to rewatch that video... That "prototype" is a hybrid , closer to a Nikola one than a Tesla.

Rimac and others have computer controlling torque on each wheel. This is used to help steering. Farm tractor can only use brakes with slow human reaction time, but principle is same. Computer can react so fast that system is used at very high speeds.

Actual steering is still accomplished by the front wheels, they aren't on castors.

Could they spray something on tire to make rubber softer? Interesting question is: Can regular truck tires do better that 5 s acceleration? If not then Tesla semi is limited be traction and we don't know its mass.

On a computer you can do anything.

My guess is that battery energy density can double, but not more without metal-air batteries. Impurities in air could prevent recharging of those.

Tesla semi will come to market with better batteries, but not twice as good we have now. Current batteries are good enough for semi.

We'll see...

 

[Farmertom]

Just curious, are there any Tesla taxis, buses, delivery vehicles etc out there?

If not, can anybody guess why?

 

[tomas]

Just curious, are there any Tesla taxis, buses, delivery vehicles etc out there?

If not, can anybody guess why?

@Farmertom, it becomes really annoying when one member takes over a thread and has to reply to absolutely everything. Really annoying. In some interpretations (including mine) it is against forum rules. It stifles conversation and ruins good threads.

Tesla has not made busses or delivery vehicles because they are a fledgling company that started with luxury and sports cars and needed every penny of capital to move into mid price mainstream car. You will see many model 3 taxis in 5 years. Urban busses, taxis, and delivery vehicles are an EV slam dunk as they do not travel more than several hundred miles per day. Suburban or rural is a stretch. It just so happens Tesla prioritized semi first. As others have said, they will sell all they can make, and as their volume grows, they will increase range and charging infrastructure. Short sighted people doubted that strategy with the S/X. But now with range over 300 and chargers everywhere, even the formerly skeptical are buying... a short 5 years after introduction.

 

[MP3Mike]

Just curious, are there any Tesla taxis, buses, delivery vehicles etc out there?

There are plenty of Teslas that are used as Taxis. (One Taxi company even installed their own Superchargers.)

 

[jkn]

Might want to rewatch that video... That "prototype" is a hybrid , closer to a Nikola one than a Tesla.

I noticed that. I also noticed similarities with it and Tesla semi. I have also followed news:
J.B. Hunt, Wal-Mart climb aboard Tesla's electric truck
Tells: "Wal-Mart said it plans to order a total of 15 Tesla trucks, five for the United States and ten for Canada."

For WalMart that is enough for testing Tesla semi. Tesla could not replace all WalMart trucks very quickly anyway.

Actual steering is still accomplished by the front wheels, they aren't on castors.

When I'm driving small farm tractor with heavy load on snow and ice, front wheels could as well be on castors. I have to steer with brakes. It works very well. Of course only on low speed. With computer speed and instantly reacting electric motors it works on very fast sport car. Of course it will work on truck.

 

[scottf200]

Apologize if this was shown already. Saw it in a presentation here: Tesla’s VP of Trucks talks about new electric semi, weight, charging, and more

Drivers log on left and Thermal display on right. Obviously I zoomed in so some things are blurry. Wonder if the thermal display is for diagnostics and not part of the normal user interface.

Semi display from video above:

Car - Tesla Model X/S display:

 

[AZ Desert Driver]

I've just read 230 posts - so this observation might just get lost in the clutter here.

Windshield that is hard to break.

Elon said that's a big deal to truckers, but so far it has not been commented on as any sort of a deal. Why are Truckers not happy to have fewer windshields?

Next - if Tesla has a product - like special glass...would you expect them to be selling that glass to other trucking companies (through Safe-light or other supplier). They could enter the car windshield market. They could make solar panels, solar tiles with this armor glass.
[maybe that's where it came from?]
I think this is big news. Another great product line from the brains at Tesla. My stock should reflect this.

 

[brucet999]

I've just read 230 posts - so this observation might just get lost in the clutter here.

Windshield that is hard to break.

Elon said that's a big deal to truckers, but so far it has not been commented on as any sort of a deal. Why are Truckers not happy to have fewer windshields?

Next - if Tesla has a product - like special glass...would you expect them to be selling that glass to other trucking companies (through Safe-light or other supplier). They could enter the car windshield market. They could make solar panels, solar tiles with this armor glass.
[maybe that's where it came from?]
I think this is big news. Another great product line from the brains at Tesla. My stock should reflect this.

M3 windshield and solar roof tiles are already using the new glass.

 

[Big Earl]

I've just read 230 posts - so this observation might just get lost in the clutter here.

Windshield that is hard to break.

Elon said that's a big deal to truckers, but so far it has not been commented on as any sort of a deal. Why are Truckers not happy to have fewer windshields?

Next - if Tesla has a product - like special glass...would you expect them to be selling that glass to other trucking companies (through Safe-light or other supplier). They could enter the car windshield market. They could make solar panels, solar tiles with this armor glass.
[maybe that's where it came from?]
I think this is big news. Another great product line from the brains at Tesla. My stock should reflect this.

I doubt very much that Tesla is making the semi windshields themselves. During the reveal, I actually wondered if the windshields are Gorilla Glass or similar.

 

[jkn]

I doubt very much that Tesla is making the semi windshields themselves. During the reveal, I actually wondered if the windshields are Gorilla Glass or similar.

I had exactly same thoughts. But when somebody mentioned solar tiles, I thought that they might have discovered new strong glass.

 

[Big Earl]

I had exactly same thoughts. But when somebody mentioned solar tiles, I thought that they might have discovered new strong glass.

That's an excellent point that I hadn't considered. Tesla does have a penchant for vertical integration. Hmm...

 

[GarrickS]

M3 windshield ... already using the new glass.

Is this actually known? If the Model 3 had this new blast-proof glass, it would be an advertised selling point?

 

[jkn]

Is this actually known? If the Model 3 had this new blast-proof glass, it would be an advertised selling point?

Yes, but do they need to advertise M3 now?

 

[GarrickS]

Yes, but do they need to advertise M3 now?

There are many listed attributes on the Model 3 webpage. Go look at that list.

Don't you think a blast proof windshield, that was featured prominently in the Semi unveil, what make that list.

 

[Big Earl]

I would be very surprised if the Model 3 had the stronger windshield glass. I would expect that to be a feature on the Model X, if anything.

 

[Krugerrand]

Don't you think a blast proof windshield, that was featured prominently in the Semi unveil, what make that list.

I have no idea anymore than you do. Until it is listed as a feature of the Model 3 don't assume it is or spread rumors like the original poster who said it was included on the Model 3. Be responsible when sharing information with others about anything.

 

[GarrickS]

I have no idea anymore than you do. Until it is listed as a feature of the Model 3 don't assume it is or spread rumors like the original poster who said it was included on the Model 3. Be responsible when sharing information with others about anything.

Yes, that's exactly why I'm questioning it.