Finally, Tesla unveils the streamlined design of the much-awaited semi-electric truck Tesla Semi.
The truck is capable of accelerating from 0 mph to 60 mph in just 5 seconds with no load on board. Normal trucks usually take 15 seconds to reach 65 mph. The driver’s seat is exactly in the middle making getting on and off more convenient.
According to Tesla’s official website, the Tesla Electric Truck weighs 80,000 pounds with a full load and in that condition, it will take 20 seconds to reach 60 mph. The truck will consume less than 2kWh energy per mile. The truck, coming with four independent motor instant Traction control will be the fastest truck uphill.
The enhanced autopilot system helps the truck to avoid collisions. It helps the truck to cruise and brake automatically as well. The seat of the driver is located in the center of the car at a height of 2 meters inside the driver’s cab. This arrangement will provide maximum visibility and control to the driver. The truck has a really low center of gravity, providing rollover protection. It will be officially called the safest truck. Musk also ensured that the truck could run a million miles without failure.
There will be two large screens on each side of the steering wheel. The left screen will mainly control the functions and settings of the truck part of the vehicle, while the right one will contain the typical navigation and radio controls. An official from Tesla confirmed that these are further configurable in the future.
The mirrors of the large traditional trucks are installed outside the vehicle. But in Tesla Semi each internal screen will show the images of the side of the truck through cameras mounted under the exterior mirrors. These are the part of the autopilot system mentioned earlier. There will also be front-facing cameras mounted on the bottom of the windshield. The entire system will help the drivers to get used to sitting in the middle of the cab.
After being charged for 30 minutes, Tesla Semi can travel 400 miles in 6-7 hours. Musk promised that a dedicated charging station, “Mega charger,” will be released for these electric trucks. The average trucks take about 15 minutes to fill the oil tank.
Tesla Semi will consume only half the cost of diesel trucks, claims Tesla. Tesla will start the production of Tesla Semi in 2019.
