After conquering the entire planet with its electric cars, Tesla wants to repeat the feat with its first electric truck. “Semi,” the name of this super “tractor,” will be delivered to PepsiCo, its first customer, this Thursday. Elon Musk will personally hand over the keys to this fun truck to representatives of the beverage giant at the Sparks (Nevada) plant where it was assembled.
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Unlike most manufacturers, Tesla is attacking the truck market with a large heavy-duty segment, rather than vans, which are easier to electrify. Manufacturers have long believed that a diesel alternative for heavy-duty vehicles would more naturally incorporate hydrogen than batteries, which are necessarily too heavy to deliver large loads. Will Musk convince them otherwise? Tesla has provided little information, but Elon Musk tweeted a week ago that the Semi had just completed final testing. It traveled 800 kilometers (500 miles) without needing to charge the batteries with a total weight of 37 tons. Elon Musk also claimed that 30 minutes will be enough to charge 70% of the battery thanks to his superchargers. A feat to be confirmed in real life.
PepsiCo has ordered 100 units, with the first 15 expected to ship in the coming weeks. Then it will be Walmart’s turn, with 130 copies. Tesla, which was two years behind schedule, is expected to reach mass production next year. It plans to collect 50,000 semis a year from 2024.
The European response
Competitors, particularly European Volvo and Renault Trucks, Traton, Daimler, etc., have in turn revised their strategies to meet the needs of European carriers and move away from burnout. And this despite the fact that 95% of the truck fleet in Europe is still diesel, according to the European Manufacturers Association (ACEA). They will switch to electric heavy trucks faster than expected, following the example of Renault Trucks. “We launched electric trucks for urban distribution projects for the first timeexplains Olivier Metzger, Director of Alternative Energy at Renault Trucks. Or 16 and 26 ton trucks. Last week, the manufacturer also announced a shipment of 30 of them… Coca-Cola. The batteries of these cars have an autonomy of 200 to 300 kilometers. But the Volvo subsidiary will launch an electric “tractor” of the same type as Tesla’s Semi by the end of next year. “They will weigh 42 tons, including about 3 tons of batteries– explains Olivier Metzger. The carrying capacity should be about 25 tons.
One reason for this is that manufacturers’ attraction to hydrogen has waned so much that it cannot be immediately satisfied. “The ecosystem is not ready. It was necessary to obtain supplies of green hydrogen at a competitive price. By 2030 it won’t beOlivier Metzger thinks. The question of price remains. In 2017, Elon Musk listed the price of the first version of his Semi at $180,000, offering 500 km of autonomy. But today a diesel “tractor” costs three times less. The transition to electric is likely to be gradual…
Source: Le Figaro
I’m Liza Grey, an experienced news writer and author at the Buna Times. I specialize in writing about economic issues, with a focus on uncovering stories that have a positive impact on society. With over seven years of experience in the news industry, I am highly knowledgeable about current events and the ways in which they affect our daily lives.