Tesla has just delivered its first Class 8 truck after five years. This Tesla freight carrier, aptly dubbed Semi, was delivered to beverage juggernaut PepsiCo during the live presentation you can see above. Despite the delivery’s delay, PepsiCo and Tesla employees celebrated the occasion with a launch party at the Tesla Semi facility in Nevada.
Clearly, a single Tesla Semi delivery won’t completely transform the transportation sector. However, the Toyota Class 8 fuel-cell engine and other battery-electric trucks, along with the 500-mile Tesla Semi, may bring about a change in the short-haul trucking industry.
Tesla admittedly provided little details about the Semi’s specifications, but the firm did reveal several of its components. Elon Musk claims that the mechanism used in the Model X and Model S Plaid versions is essentially the same as what the business claims it employs for its tri-motor engine. The rearmost motor was created to be as efficient as Tesla engineers could make it while serving as the main motor, and this variant only uses two of the motors as needed.
Although Tesla hasn’t provided specific power numbers, the presentation says that it has three times the power of any diesel truck currently on the road. Given that the Volvo FL16 promises up to 750 horsepower and 2618 lb-ft of torque, that might not be taken too seriously. While “three times” may sound optimistic, we’re confident Tesla will finally provide the official figures.
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