Tesla has just revealed its new all-electric semi truck called the ‘Tesla Semi’. The truck boasts some very high-end features, a unique and different look, and a considerably large battery charge.
The Tesla Semi goes 0 to 100km/h in just 5 seconds which is extremely fast if compared to a typical diesel truck you see on the roads. The truck can tow with it a maximum of 80,000 lbs (approximately 36,287 Kgs). The truck is capable of going as far as 800 km when it is traveling at highway speed. For any trips within the city, the truck can go up to 400 km before running out of juice.
According to Tesla, a mere 30 minutes charge is enough to send it off to a trip of 800 km on the highway. The truck can be charged while it is being loaded.
Features of the Tesla Semi Truck
As an electrically powered vehicle, the Tesla Semi truck does not have transmission that requires you to shift gears and it comes with regenerative braking which essentially means that the brake life of the truck will never run out.
The cabin of the Tesla Semi is also unique. Instead of having a seat on the left or the right side, the truck has the driver’s seat at the center of the cabin with 2 touchscreens on each side. This gives the driver navigation information, trip data, blind spot monitoring and more.
There are surround view cameras on the truck that helps to eliminate blind spots, help in object detection and even alert the driver automatically when a potential hazard is identified.
The truck also comes complete with an enhanced auto-pilot feature that offers automated braking, lane departure, lane keeping and warnings to encourage safe driving on the highways.
The current version of the Tesla Semi is designed for day jobs only which means that it does not have an extended cab to help accommodate a sleeper. But Tesla has said that this can be expanded in the future depending on the need.
The Self Driving Convoy Mode
One of the biggest features of the Tesla Semi is that it can work in three-truck convoy mode.
Convoying involves one vehicle leading in the front with others following behind in an autonomous manner. In simple words, one Tesla truck in the front provides all the navigation and guidance to trucks behind it without a driver. This causes the trucks to follow the main vehicle in a ‘Virtual’ train like manner without the rails or track requirements.
Convoying is a popular method of transporting goods with a series of trucks or trains moving along one path in close proximity. With Tesla’s automatic convoy mode, transport companies will be able to save both on manual driver costs and fuel costs with Tesla offering $0.85 fuel cost per mile as compared to diesel trucks that do it around $1.25 per mile.
More about Tesla
Tesla Inc. is an American automaker, solar panel manufacturer, and energy storage company. The company specializes in electric cars and was one of the first few companies to introduce completely electric powered cars.
The company released its first car the Tesla Roadster in 2008 and it was the first automobile to use lithium-ion battery cells with a range of 320 km per charge.
In 2012, Tesla shipped its first Model S Sedan which had four base configurations ranging from 75D, 100D, and P100D with a total range of 600 kilometers per charge.
In 2015, Tesla also started shipping their first full-size crossover SUV, the Model X. The Model X has since become quite popular with it being ranked as the top-selling plug-in electric cars in Norway in 2016.