Check Out The New Tesla Semi! This Powerhouse Has Some Exciting Features You Don't Want To Miss

Tesla has experienced exponential growth in a few sectors since Elon Musk’s foundation in 2003. However, the development seen in the automotive world has been second to none. Tesla is known worldwide as a brand of innovation and quality which has shaken the auto industry and is perceived as a revolutionary brand. November 16th, 2017 marked the date Musk presented the Tesla Semi to the world.

The following is a list of the most exciting features of this incredible product and why it will change the industry indefinitely post release date.

Incredible Powertrain

The first highlight of the Tesla Semi will be discussing powertrain design. Equipped with four independent motors on rear axles provides for incredible acceleration amongst competitors as it proves capable of hauling eighty-thousand pounds (max tow load) with a zero to sixty acceleration in twenty seconds. Tesla’s powertrain design also allows approximately twenty MPH speed over diesel competitors while driving uphill (around five-degree grade hill). These feats make quite impressive statistics for the semi industry and are to adjust, making jackknifing impossible automatically from the beginning. One possible downside to the semi will be the increased weight as well as the cost of a battery; this will be touched on further in a couple of slides. Next will be a discussion regarding the semi’s range.

Industry Leading Mile Range

Alright, Tesla has discussed the powertrain design which has been met with shock and awe, but some have been asking what that means for mile range. Surprisingly the Tesla Semi is expected to present two different models; first is a three-hundred-mile range with an expected base price at one-hundred-fifty-thousand USD, second is a five-hundred-mile range with an expected base price at one-hundred-eighty-thousand dollars USD. On average, eighty percent of trips for semi trucks are about two-hundred-fifty-thousand miles. This means that even the lowest mile range model Tesla will be capable of achieving a majority of trips without the need for a recharge.

Shockingly Low Energy Consumption

Although there are many perks to owning a fleet of Tesla Semis for any trucking company, the energy consumption is worth looking at as well. Elon Musk has stated that units will require less than two kilowatts per hour. Assumed to be calculated with minimum freight and traveling on straight roads not uphill. To compare a diesel semi model cost and energy consumption requires a lot of variables which make it difficult to find an accurate answer. However, John Feddersen (director of Aurora Energy Research) has stated that by his calculations the required energy to charge one Tesla Semi in thirty minutes could power up to three-thousand-two-hundred houses in the UK for an hour. This statistic seems to prove worrisome for potential customers. However, consumers should remember that this number is in contrast to diesel fuel trucks which run on ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) fuel and produce about twenty-two pounds of carbon dioxide per gallon of fuel burned.

Revolutionary Safety System

Safety measures taken in the Tesla Semi have raised the bar for semi-production, period. Jackknifing for semi drivers is a serious concern whenever on the road, the action of losing control of the vessel and sending the truck and trailer into a skid which swings the load unpredictably and dangerously. Tesla’s model of the semi has been designed to adjust, making jackknifing impossible automatically. Self-controlling brakes will prevent collisions with other vehicles by activating in the potential event of a crash, and automatic lane-keeping will be another feature of the truck which will ensure total truck sensibility when drivers would potentially drift between lanes. Perhaps the most incredible feature, however, is a safety system which recognizes if an operator passes out or has an emergency, the semi will lane-keep and gradually slow down to a halt followed by a call to emergency services if it does not receive a prompt response from the driver. This technology places a priority on road safety as much as operate safety. Not to mention the truck's windshield is virtually indestructible...

Ingenious Cab

Tesla cockpit is designed to fix virtually every issue truck drivers face with the current truck interior design. To start, the driver seat is located in the middle of the vehicle with a passenger seat located behind and to the right. The original battery pack is located under the floor of the cab which allows for more space to maneuver within the cab itself, as well as more storage. Drivers are presented with two screens, one on the left and one on the right. This allows simplified control over vehicle function and navigation/radio controls. Screens also display blind spot images and support autopilot systems and lane-keep technology. Each design move made in Tesla’s Semi is intended to revolutionize comfort on the road as the company is hoping drivers and fleet managers are looking at investing in a much-needed change.

Large Fuel Savings

Traditional diesel trucks typically cost approximately One-hundred-twenty-thousand USD and may easily burn seventy-thousand USD in fuel annually. Tesla Semi’s, in comparison, has been estimated to cost around twenty-six cents per mile. Now, this calculation is based on Tesla’s claim that these semis will require only two kilowatt-hours (kWh) per mile of electricity or less. Questions remain regarding this calculation, including whether or not uphill travel and weather have been factored in, however, for this comparison, the Tesla calculation will be considered accurate. By contrast, Tesla’s units may save customers up to two-hundred-thousand USD in fuel over a lifetime. Such strides make for effective long-term investment as long as predicted costs remain correct.

Strong Potential Competition

Tesla’s Semi release was on November 16th, 2017 and since has generated much buzz around the auto industry. By bringing such a controversial unit into the truck market is bound to make other companies sweat, however, a few are seemingly rising to the challenge. Navistar, a veteran in the trucking world has stated that they intend to have launched more electric grade trucks than Tesla by 2025. Navistar holds approximately eleven percent of the market and CEO Troy Clarke has been quoted boasting the ease at which they may outnumber Tesla’s Semi threat, due to the scale and reputation that Navistar brings along with collaborative partners such as VW. It will be interesting to see who gets there first, and whether Tesla can live up to the high expectations, they have set.

Daring, Yet Sleek Look

The functionality of Tesla products has always been the backbone of the upcoming brand, however, it is the sleek and modern design of vehicles which captures the hearts of customers worldwide. That being said, Tesla’s Semi has been designed to follow beautiful aesthetic which will be the closing factor for sales in the trucking market. Trucks have followed a traditional look which is unappealing to the eye and does not project a proud-to-be attitude about the profession. With a bullet-like design in mind, the look of the Tesla Semi will revolutionize semi-production moving forward, both for exterior and interior. Regardless of Musk’s risky move into the freighter world, competitive brands will be forced to step up moving into the 2020’s.