I would expect that one fleet operator Tesla is working with is Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a longstanding customer of SolarCity and one of the largest commercial owner of solar systems. Naturally, Wal-Mart will want to extend this approach of installing solar and batteries to cut operating costs to their trucking fleet.
Does anyone have an idea of how much fuel Wal-Mart buys at truckstops vs what they pump at their own facilities? When I consider their scale as well as the density of their logistical network, I'd be surprized if they bought as much as 10% of their fuel at retail prices. So I think this gives us some perspective on how they view infrastructure. They will build out infrastructure if it will save them operational expence. Moreover, an electric fleet is a huge hedge against rising fuel costs, even at wholesale prices.
Translate this to charging. Even if there were stores so far from hubs that they needed Supercharging along the way. They could locate that at other stores along the way. Now once they take the step of having commercial scale Supercharging at a store, what would prevent them from also providing auto Supercharging as well? Being able to manage the high power demands of one sets them up for providing it for the other. Basically you balance peak load in the front with auto charging and peak load in the back with truck charging. So am upshot of working with a retailer on charging their trucking fleet is opening up locations to offer public charging as well.
Does anyone have an idea of how much fuel Wal-Mart buys at truckstops vs what they pump at their own facilities? When I consider their scale as well as the density of their logistical network, I'd be surprized if they bought as much as 10% of their fuel at retail prices. So I think this gives us some perspective on how they view infrastructure. They will build out infrastructure if it will save them operational expence. Moreover, an electric fleet is a huge hedge against rising fuel costs, even at wholesale prices.
Translate this to charging. Even if there were stores so far from hubs that they needed Supercharging along the way. They could locate that at other stores along the way. Now once they take the step of having commercial scale Supercharging at a store, what would prevent them from also providing auto Supercharging as well? Being able to manage the high power demands of one sets them up for providing it for the other. Basically you balance peak load in the front with auto charging and peak load in the back with truck charging. So am upshot of working with a retailer on charging their trucking fleet is opening up locations to offer public charging as well.