What if Tesla made semi truck PowerPack based super-chargers

[freeform1999]

There're posts around that during the unusual rush to see the solar eclipse
there was long wait times at SuperChargers..
and with the TM3 coming this may happen more often.
So I wonder if this might be a partial solution?

What if Tesla made semi-truck based Super-Chargers?...
• each completely filled with PowerPacks,
• (maybe have natural gas generators too, or a 2nd generator truck, that are only used if pre-charged packs are depleted),
• that could simultaneously feed 10+++ EV cars,
• and send them (someday anonymously) to park in lots along routes that are expected to get congested
(or are used until a more permanent solution is built).

Hmmm, does anyone know how many cars 1 PowerPack could possibly charge simultaneously or in total?
Would this be competitive to the price of building a permanent Super-Charger site?

 

[mongo]

There're posts around that during the unusual rush to see the solar eclipse
there was long wait times at SuperChargers..
and with the TM3 coming this may happen more often.
So I wonder if this might be a partial solution?

What if Tesla made semi-truck based Super-Chargers?...
• each completely filled with PowerPacks,
• (maybe have natural gas generators too, or a 2nd generator truck, that are only used if pre-charged packs are depleted),
• that could simultaneously feed 10+++ EV cars,
• and send them (someday anonymously) to park in lots along routes that are expected to get congested
(or are used until a more permanent solution is built).

Hmmm, does anyone know how many cars 1 PowerPack could possibly charge simultaneously or in total?
Would this be competitive to the price of building a permanent Super-Charger site?

Thought a little about this previously, works even better with self driving semis... Would have been handy during eclipse..

What if Tesla built a semi tractor trailer based on powerpacks:
50,000 lbs net load / 3,575 lbs per power pack yields ~3 MWh with an AC delivery rate of 700 kW. DC would be higher and they already have DC-DC converters built in.

A 40' trailer would span 5 foot parking spaces, so it could supply 5 vehicles @ 120 kW each, or supply 10 vehicles at 60 (both sides of trailer).

Time to 0% SOC ranges from 4 hours to days, depending on usage. Starts out with drivers swapping trailers, and later goes full autonomous.

Costs:
3 MWh is around $3,000 depending where you live (10 cents per kWh). Powerpacks are 250/ kWh retail, say 200 internal pricing, $600,000 in packs, $12,000 in trailer (could be reused, but let's be conservative),5000 cycles = 4.1 cents per kW. Range from solarplant, say 4 hours round trip (could also ship by train) 4*$25 = 100 driver cost, 3.3 cents per kW 7.4 cents total. Leaves 2.6 cents per kW/ $78 per cycle for generation and tractor.

Bonuses:
No infrastructure cost to deploy: can add themanywhere there is space in the time it takes to drivethem there.
Flexibility for usage demands: holiday weekends add more units on interstates
Local events: add more chargers on routes to/ from(SpaceX launch, annual meeting)
Independent of grid: charge during an outage/ post natural disaster.
With feedback and tracking from vehicles, locations can be added in near real time with new spots fedback to nav system.

And totally off grid...

The powerpacks would only cover 50% of a 40 foot trailer. The additional space could serve as restrooms or storage for spare parts.

(For super annoyance, trailer sides could serve as digital billboards)

 

[gene]

Please move this from the Model 3 forums to charging forum.

 

[JeffK]

Consider this:
A supercharger site on average costs $300,000

a 53 ft truck can hold 24 powerpacks if you didn't need the inverters, 12 if you do. Even at a price of $200 / kWh @ 210 kWh a piece with the powerpacks alone it's cheaper to build an entire supercharger site complete with stalls and everything. Semi trucks typically cost over $100k so consider that cost as well.

 

[Trips]

A Powerpack would only charge 2 or 3 cars as they hold 210 kWh. It would be very expensive for them to do this and not help out that much.

 

[Topher]

According to the Tesla website 1 powerpack is 50kW (AC) and 210 kWh (AC).

So, modified to do DC charging, it could charge 1 or 2 cars at a time, and charge up to 3 full charges (4, SR Model 3) before being depleted. You might get at most 20 on a semi.

Thank you kindly.

 

[freeform1999]

Please move this from the Model 3 forums to charging forum.

Sorry, I knew this wasn't the ideal spot but didn't see a charging forum.. and don't know how to move it.

 

[CarlitoDoc]

Interesting !!!

 

[JeffK]

Interesting !!!

It's interesting for an emergency vehicle/tow service on a small scale, but doing this instead of building additional supercharging stations is not a good financial move and likely not sustainable.

 

[Tiger]

How about Powerpack based battery swapping for semi's?