Where is the Tesla Semi?

[SlowJoe]

Lots of info being posted here and I don't know about the accuracy. What I do know is that a Class 8 truck experiences some of the harshest working conditions of any machinery out there. Extreme temperatures, harsh roads, sand, water, salt etc. Stuff breaks most people would be surprised at. Frames crack, springs break, wheels crack, wires fatigue and break... It's amazing how much random stuff breaks. I seriously doubt that Musk's truck is anywhere close to being able to operate 24/7 365 in these conditions without component failures at a large scale. Is he really representing that he feels his truck will be as dependable as a Peterbilt? I could see some situations where an electric truck would make sense. Airport sevice trucks, trucks that serve as "yard dogs" switching out trailers, local delivery, etc. I have trouble imagining one of these hauling 80K lbs over the rockies on a regular basis. We will have to wait and see if he lives up to his self created hype...

[radar]

Originally Posted by SlowJoe

Lots of info being posted here and I don't know about the accuracy. What I do know is that a Class 8 truck experiences some of the harshest working conditions of any machinery out there. Extreme temperatures, harsh roads, sand, water, salt etc. Stuff breaks most people would be surprised at. Frames crack, springs break, wheels crack, wires fatigue and break... It's amazing how much random stuff breaks. I seriously doubt that Musk's truck is anywhere close to being able to operate 24/7 365 in these conditions without component failures at a large scale. Is he really representing that he feels his truck will be as dependable as a Peterbilt? I could see some situations where an electric truck would make sense. Airport sevice trucks, trucks that serve as "yard dogs" switching out trailers, local delivery, etc. I have trouble imagining one of these hauling 80K lbs over the rockies on a regular basis. We will have to wait and see if he lives up to his self created hype...

Hard to say. But at least the first generation is specifically designed for depot to depot operation. And specifically frito-lay operation. We’ll see how it evolves from there. .

[move on]

Originally Posted by radar

I’ve never looked. I’ll check it out and get back to you. But if I was in a position where I would need to do those type of routes right now or for the next 5 years I would get a hybrid. That Ford F-150 hybrid would give you the best of both worlds. Especially if you are towing. We crossed it off our list for a bunch of reasons (including that it won’t fit in our garage ) but it seems like a great truck. Especially with the generator option.

I’ll check out the Cassiar and get back to you but I’m thinking probably NO. .

The F-150 hybrid is a good example of how we can increase vehicle efficiency with just a little bit of electrification. It only has a 1.5 kwh battery and it gets 20% better gas mileage and increased power when needed, all at a very low cost. I think we will see this hybrid arrangement in diesel powered semis pretty soon. It makes a lot more sense to me than trying to power the whole truck with a 500 kwh battery pack.

[VanDiemen23]

Originally Posted by move on

By the way, I suggest you refrain from making insulting comments about other people's scientific and engineering skills. You might wind up looking like a fool.

And yet somehow, you know more than the thousands of engineers and scientists working in the EV industry around the world. With all that knowledge, you must have invested well and are now a billionaire.

[F4Gary]

Originally Posted by radar

Hard to say. But at least the first generation is specifically designed for depot to depot operation. And specifically frito-lay operation. We’ll see how it evolves from there. .

Because, after all, how much can a case of potato chips weight.

[radar]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

Because, after all, how much can a case of potato chips weight.

And yet, when I eat them I gain 4 times the weight that I eat. Maybe it’s the beer.

Just sayin.

[swampdog2]

I think over time electric vehicles will become the norm ,what it will take is more lithium and they have discovered that all the salt water that is made in the production of oil has lithium in it ! A company is building a plant in Eldorado Arkansas as we speak !Well why in the world would they build it there you ask ?The answer is a huge oil field where the wells make all the salt water they need to extract Lithium from . just think when the automobile was invented people said they would never replace the horse and buggy ! TIME MOVES ON ! and something else will replace the EV someday !!!! Just remember/ those who do not keep up with the times get left behind .

[move on]

Originally Posted by swampdog2

I think over time electric vehicles will become the norm ,what it will take is more lithium and they have discovered that all the salt water that is made in the production of oil has lithium in it ! A company is building a plant in Eldorado Arkansas as we speak !Well why in the world would they build it there you ask ?The answer is a huge oil field where the wells make all the salt water they need to extract Lithium from . just think when the automobile was invented people said they would never replace the horse and buggy ! TIME MOVES ON ! and something else will replace the EV someday !!!! Just remember/ those who do not keep up with the times get left behind .

The problem is not lithium. The problem is the supply of nickel. There is not enough nickel available at favorable prices for batteries for electric cars, let alone semis.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by radar

...
What is “load following”. ...

....

The demand for electricity, or load, varies during the day. The grid operator would balance the load with available resources to generate electricity.

Here is BPA in the PNW.

https://transmission.bpa.gov/busines...nd/baltwg.aspx

As you can see BPA has a large amount of hydro to balance load and variations in wind power.

Here is PJM in the mid-Atlantic region.

https://www.pjm.com/

As you can see PJM has to manage 30,000 MW of load balancing. It is done with coal and gas. This region has a lot of coal and gas.

The French grid is about the same size as PJM but France has no coal or gas. When memories of WWII were still fresh, France made a decision to depend on nuclear.

In France load following is done with nukes.

The laws of physics tells me that BEV are a bad idea. However, if the US had to depend China and Russia for oil; the laws of self preservation would make BEV look better.

[radar]

Informative. Lots to absorb.

[PLDieter]

First of all, the semis aren't using cells. They are molding custom shaped batteries for them. There is no huge shortage of lithium batteries, just the cells aren't being manufactured fast enough for some applications.
Tesla is already making huge battery modules designed to work with a home solar system and power your entire home at 115v AC levels. They are fulfilling orders on these and they are flying off the shelves.


I will never cease to be amazed at how many people seem to want EV technology to fail. Why? Do people want to be right that badly about "it'll never work?"

[radar]

Ugh. Another hydrogen car gets cancelled. Honda is packing it in on their hydrogen program. I still think there may be some future for hydrogen in the heavier applications, but it seems cars will not be going that way. Toyota I think is the only survivor with a hydrogen car in the production mix. Not sure. I know a few of the programs trying to expand hydrogen fueling stations for cars have also been shelved in various parts of the world. Crazy freakin expense fuel compared to electric. Tough sell, at least for cars.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/i...due-slow-sales

[packnrat]

only the investors will get burned.
the owners and bankers will laugh all the way to the deposit line.

[move on]

Originally Posted by PLDieter

I will never cease to be amazed at how many people seem to want EV technology to fail. Why? Do people want to be right that badly about "it'll never work?"

Nobody wants technology to fail. People just don't want a technology to be forced upon them through taxpayer subsidies based on false science. If EVs are ever going to go mainstream they will have to stand on their own. Let's see if that works.