Next month, Tesla will be unveil the first semi-autonomous fully-electric class 8 semi truck – Electrek
Though only boasting a range of 200-300 miles — a far cry from what a typical Over-the-Road truck driver drives a day, the announcement is expected to be disrupt the commercial trucking industry.
With a price tag of $100,000 it is significantly cheaper than diesel trucks from current makers: Freightliner, International, Mack, Volvo, Peterbilt, etc
The issues with diesel powered trucks is that they spew toxins for hundreds of thousands of miles before they are replaced.
The major hurdle facing Tesla is that the batteries are so heavy that they take up a lot of weight and space required for the load. So with a 200-300 mile range, truckers would not be able to go far — perhaps just regional for now.
But with super batteries costing 70% less to operate, this could be a game changer. Tesla would then lease out the batteries for about $0.25/mile. The trucks would need to be charged at dedicated charging stations.
The truck will also provide autonomous driving through platooning only. CEO Elon Musk says that the Electrek will be unveiled in California on Oct 26th.
Meanwhile other truck makers are getting aboard fast such as Cummings and Mercedez Daimler.