No Diesel, no problem: IT HAPPENED! The Tesla Semi 2021 Is FINALLY Here!
Elon Musk's Tesla has proven it can make excellent battery-powered cars. With many
awards and lots of sales, the fact has been proven over and over. However, with the
Tesla Semi truck here, has Tesla made a great electric truck?
In this video, we find out because Tesla's most powerful monster, the Semi Truck, is
here!
For decades, the logistics sector has relied on diesel-powered big rigs to transport large
cargo on land over long distances. They ferry both raw materials and finished goods all
over the country.
Gas-powered trucks do this while producing lots of harmful emissions that cause global
warming and health hazards. This is the ugly truth behind the items you pick off the
shelf because they got there with the help of these environment-polluting vehicles.
Making a battery-powered truck is very difficult because of the unique requirements of
the task they do. However, that is not stopping Tesla from making one, and like any
product Tesla makes, the Semi Truck shatters expectations and turns the transport
sector on its head!
The Semi is a class 8 truck powered by four independent electric motors. The
independence of these motors allows Tesla to do some exciting things with the Semi.
One example is how Tesla has solved an age-long problem with trucks loaded with a
trailer; jack-knifing!
Jack-knifing is the nightmare of truck drivers because it is life-and-death! Jack-knifing
happens when the truck cab violently goes one way while the trailer goes another,
resulting in a catastrophic imbalance causing the truck to flip over. At this point, the
driver has lost control and can only hope for the best!
But not in a Tesla Semi! Musk boasted it would never happen to a Tesla-branded truck
during the presentation of the Semi.
Here is how the Semi prevents jack-knifing with the help of its independent electric
motors:
Thanks to a unique drivetrain, the truck can detect the weight distribution on each of the
wheels in real-time. It can also actuate the motors or stop them as required to maximize
traction control, thereby automatically correcting for over-steer when the weight
distribution changes.
The result is that the truck does everything to avoid a jack-knife, and the best part is it
does not require the driver's intervention!
Bear in mind that this solution came very early in the truck's development.
Apart from preventing accidents, the electric motors power the Semi to great heights.
This battery-powered monster does 0 to 60 miles per hour in 20 seconds with 80,000
pounds of load attached! Eighty thousand pounds is the maximum load legally permitted
for its class.
Disconnect the load, and the Semi does it in 5 seconds, competing with expensive cars!
Going up a 5% grade with maximum load attached, the insane Semi reaches 65 miles
per hour! To get how crazy that is, a diesel-powered truck will only reach 45 miles per
hour under the same conditions!
The Semi is revolutionary, so it is appropriate that Tesla chose a striking design. It puts
the driver at the center in the cabin instead of to the side. This cockpit-style seat
placement, coupled with a good height, enhances safety because it allows the driver to
see more.
External cameras feed the two screens before the driver with the footage of the truck's
surroundings.
The Semi is protected against rollover by its low center of gravity.
Now, guess what Musk's favorite part of the Semi is? It is the windshield glass! He
claims it can withstand a thermonuclear explosion!
Speaking of range, the Semi comes in two different configurations; one will last 300
miles on a single charge while the second one will go 500 miles before having to stop
for a charge.
The Semi debuts with Tesla's new 4680 battery. Tesla has spent a lot of time tweaking
the materials and physical arrangement to squeeze out the most range, reduce weight
and charging times, and enhance safety and longevity.
Some people have wondered if the battery would not be a problem for the Semi. EV
batteries are heavy, and the typical Tesla car with a 100 kWh battery weighs 1,300
pounds more due to the battery. Some experts not associated with Tesla estimates that
the Semi needs between 600 kWh and 1000 kWh to yield 300 or 500 miles of driving
range.
Disclaimer:
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