Tesla semi

[flyerdan]

A quick Google search gave me a value of 265 watts from a 3x5 foot panel, for the sake of argument let's assume that is correct. One could fit 24 of them onto a 48' trailer, which would generate 6360 watts, about the output of a typical homeowner generator. Now imagine the same on railroad boxcars, only multiplied by 100 or better. Granted, they wouldn't produce enough to run the whole show, but they would generate power while stopped on the freeway for traffic or in the loading yard, or while switching cars at a siding. A long train could suck up nearly 800,000 watts, that's a fair amount of motive power.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

A quick Google search gave me a value of 265 watts from a 3x5 foot panel, for the sake of argument let's assume that is correct. One could fit 24 of them onto a 48' trailer, which would generate 6360 watts, about the output of a typical homeowner generator. Now imagine the same on railroad boxcars, only multiplied by 100 or better. Granted, they wouldn't produce enough to run the whole show, but they would generate power while stopped on the freeway for traffic or in the loading yard, or while switching cars at a siding. A long train could suck up nearly 800,000 watts, that's a fair amount of motive power.

One horsepower=745 watts. To put it in units which are more familiar, that 48' trailer could generate 8.5 HP and that long train might be 1,000 HP. Obviously not the sole source of power but not insignificant either.

 

[flusher]

Elon is just planting his flag on the hill with his new electric semi with 300 mile range.
He knows that there will be a quantum leap in battery technology in 3-5 years (maybe sooner) when lithium batteries with solid electrolyte go into mass production. These batteries will have at least three times the energy storage capacity of today's best lithium batteries that go into the Tesla vehicles. Then we'll see semis with range approaching 1000 miles and witness the introduction of over the road electric semis that will start platooning their way up and down the interstates.

 

[houstonscott]

Elon is just planting his flag on the hill with his new electric semi with 300 mile range. He knows that there will be a quantum leap in battery technology in 3-5 years (maybe sooner) when lithium batteries with solid electrolyte go into mass production. These batteries will have at least three times the energy storage capacity of today's best lithium batteries that go into the Tesla vehicles. Then we'll see semis with range approaching 1000 miles and witness the introduction of over the road electric semis that will start platooning their way up and down the interstates.

They'll still be coal trucks, but with much worse production negative environmental destruction. Tesla might not be around in two years, they are on their way out of business. Can't turn a profit, can't make production, extremely inefficient production is 8 times more expensive then car production in the 1980's. Yuck. Tesla might sell batteries to people who know to make cars, but right now Tesla doesn't know how to make cars.

 

[Btown]

They'll still be coal trucks, but with much worse production negative environmental destruction. Tesla might not be around in two years, they are on their way out of business. Can't turn a profit, can't make production, extremely inefficient production is 8 times more expensive then car production in the 1980's. Yuck. Tesla might sell batteries to people who know to make cars, but right now Tesla doesn't know how to make cars.

I agree but people love buying their stock at a really high price and their cars. Plus it is about time to refresh the model S. Been around sine 2012.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

... but right now Tesla doesn't know how to make cars.

But Elon Musk knows how to sucker people. He's a bigger con than Bernie Madoff, and a lot smarter. He does it legally, and he gets people to worship him in the process. That's a pretty good insurance plan against prison time.

 

[CincyFlyer]

Even diesel locomotives are essentially electrical vehicles...

Yep, with a mogen as a transmission. In many cases that's more efficient than a hydrostat (but more expensive.)

 

[mrblanche]

Now what about a high speed wind turbine on top? or somewhere...generate electricity while you drive down the interstate, help charge your batteries in
addition to the entire top of the trailer being solar panels one would assume.

Since there is no such thing as a free energy, you should understand that a wind turbine on a moving vehicle could not generate more power than it takes to move it down the road. Now, as to "self-driving trucks," stop and think. That truck is going to need a driver when it gets to where it's going. It will need a driver in case of any emergencies or unusual traffic patterns. This is not going to be happening any time soon. (Hybrid trucks are already here. They've been on the roads over 5 years.)

 

[/pine]

Since there is no such thing as a free energy...

Sure there is...especially since energy cannot be created or destroyed...it's the harnessing/storing/refining etc. part that comes at a cost...

 

[flusher]

They'll still be coal trucks, but with much worse production negative environmental destruction. Tesla might not be around in two years, they are on their way out of business. Can't turn a profit, can't make production, extremely inefficient production is 8 times more expensive then car production in the 1980's. Yuck. Tesla might sell batteries to people who know to make cars, but right now Tesla doesn't know how to make cars.

You miss the point. Elon is a technology disrupter on a mission to eliminate automotive vehicles as a primary contributor to air pollution. He's not trying to compete with GM or other major OEMs by producing 5-10 million vehicles annually. His goal is to produce enough affordable ZEVs, 500,000 or so per year, to keep the pressure on the big OEMs to play catchup with Tesla's products by developing ZEVs of their own. That's why nearly 10 years ago he made all of Tesla's ZEV patents public. And so far he's been able to attract a huge number of both small and large idealistic investors who share his beliefs about the future of automotive technology and who put their money on Tesla.