- Production of the Tesla Semi electric truck commenced in 2022 and the first delivery has been taken by PepsiCo.
- The Class 8 truck comes with 3 electric motors and a range of 500 miles (805 km).
- It can accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in just 20 secs (fully loaded).
Tesla has commenced the deliveries of its highly-anticipated Semi electric truck this month (December 2022). It aims to revolutionize the commercial electric vehicle market in the USA and eventually expand globally. Semi is the truck that belongs to Class 8. Tesla, fashionably, has been secretive about the exact specifications of the Semi. But there are a few stats that have been thrown up by the most popular EV maker in the world.
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Tesla Semi Electric Truck – Specs
In its top trim, the Semi is powered by 3 electric motors that offer a range of 500 miles (804 km). With a smaller battery pack, there will still be a healthy range of 300 miles (483 km). Tesla mentions that the energy consumption of the Semi is less than 1.7 kWh/mile which could mean that the battery pack could be around 600 – 900 kWh. Moreover, the electric truck features an operating voltage of around 1,000 V.
The battery can be topped up to 70% in just 30 mins. But the most impressive aspect has to be the drag coefficient of just 0.36 which enables a 0-60 mph acceleration time of just 20 secs (fully loaded). This is around 3 times better than traditional diesel trucks which take around 60 secs for the same and have drag coefficients over 0.65.
| Tesla Semi Electric Truck | Specs |
| Drivetrain | AWD |
| Battery (exp.) | 600 – 900 kWh |
| Range | 300 miles (483 km) or 500 miles (804 km) |
| Power / Torque (exp.) | 900 hp / 1,600 lb-ft (2,170 Nm) |
| DC Fast Charging | 30 mins (up to 70%) |
| Acceleration (0 – 60 mph/96 kmph) | 5 secs (unloaded) & 20 secs (loaded) |
| Drag Coeff. | 0.36 |
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Tesla Semi Electric Truck – Design
The Tesla Semi Class 8 all-electric semi-truck is known for its clean truck design. The front fascia of this vehicle has a giant wraparound glass which drops into the frunk. Also, the dropped door mirrors give the Tesla Semi aerodynamic benefits. Cameras are positioned at the extremes of the rear mirror which send the direct feed to the screen in the interior. The chin of the truck has a small passage for air intake so are to keep the battery cool and smoothly functioning. Tesla Semi projects a 6*4 tractor layout in which its rear part comes with the trailer bed and tow hitch.
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Interior and Features
The other area where the Tesla Semi is significantly more unorthodox than traditional trucks is in the cabin and features. The first thing you’d notice when you enter the cabin is the centrally-positioned driver’s seat offering great visibility outside. There are two additional seats that are positioned behind it. At the moment, there is no information about the sleeping cabin in the Semi.
The cabin layout is something that we have seen in other Tesla cars. The pattern is minimalistic with two large 15-inch screens on either side of the steering wheel. On the right is where you would have the cabin settings like HVAC, infotainment, etc., while the left screen will have the information and settings related to the truck. Evidently, the layout is devoid of millions of buttons and switches that traditional trucks come with.
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Price
Yet another aspect with which Tesla aims to disrupt the market is its attractive prices. The prices start from $150,000 USD for the 300-mile variant and $180,000 USD for the 500-mile variant. But with the government incentives, these are reduced to $110,000 USD and $140,000 USD respectively.