Tesla to build BEV HDT

[RV_]

Here is the article and if you Google Tesla trucks you will find out about the pickup and their heavy hauler both of which will be presented in prototype later in 2017:

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4062425-tesla-semi-truck-unveiled-september?auth_param=ee6s6:1cf0h9f:7e914e0fcbb42f3fd6232f0484fd4aa6&uprof=46&utoken=39f3b592412733ed04865ae67b96d2a2405ad5b4

[Ronbo]

I can't see it being an OTR truck. The battery would have to be too large. It would probably have to be hybrid. I can see battery powered for regional use or yard use. 

[beyerjf]

This guy Musk is desperate to keep his name and his company in the limelight, and in my view has buffalo'ed investors accordingly. The hottest topic on Wall Street is the valuation of his company. Experts all but totally discount the companies ability to build vehicles in any significant volume for various segments of the market. He makes 75,000 vehicles a year, GM made 9.4 million vehicles, and his company, which won't turn a profit for years, if ever is valued higher?

His promises of battery technology breakthoughs, the huge plant in Nevada, the whole power the house with solar and have one of my battery packs in the basement thing. He needs to deliver on at least one of his designs in a real marketplace before I believe him. Where are Siemens, Hitachi, General Electric, others? Oh I know they don't have any "vision"

As far as his HDT, Hydrogen power? The CNG, LNG, thing has been the biggest bust in transportation in the last 25 years. Totally electric for over the road applications? Not without significant infrastructure inverstment. Oh my driver has to time the recharge with his 10 hour break, and there would have to be 1000's of totally new facilities built to accommodate that. There might be a valid application for local use, but that is not what the design promises. 

I will wait for my flying car.  

 

 

[Av8r3400]

Well said, Jeff. 

[jkoenig24]

Jeff, put me down for a flying car too

[rickeieio]

8 hours ago, jkoenig24 said:

Jeff, put me down for a flying car too

Bob Cummings show.........

[RV_]

I'll have to agree to disagree. It's happening, his vehicles and rockets are real. Let's talk again in two years. I'm sure they won't be affordable for most, kind of like new custom Prevost MHs. Some can only dream. others tell why they wouldn't want one. I'll be interested in the Pickup rather than an HDT.

Hope y'all had a nice Easter.

Safe Travels!

[RandyA]

Just for fun....

My Volvo D12 is rated at 465 HP.  That is the same as 347 KW when you do an energy conversion.  Yeah, I know the diesel beast isn't churning out 465 HP all the time.  But I do have a VMSpc in my truck and it usually shows an average of 285 HP expended over a one hour period (HPh) cruising down a relatively flat Interstate with my 5th wheel in tow.  Let's see..... that would convert to 213 kilowatt hours of expended energy.  Now, according to the article, they expect a range of 1200 miles and they are guessing "several" Powerpack 2's which are 200+KWh each.  How many is several?  Humm..... I was taught it was more than a couple... usually 3 maybe 4, could be 5.  OK - let's give the guy a benefit of the doubt and say 5.  That translates to five hours of drive time if my figures are anywhere close to being accurate (my truck uses around1,065 KWh).  1,200 miles in 5 hours - WOW, that truck is hauling at 240 MPH!  Not so sure the Highway Patrol would let that slide by.  Think I will slow it down to 65, which is about the speed I am running to consume 213 KWh of energy.  Uh Oh - that is 875 miles on the short side.  So.... those hydrogen fuel cells are going to need to crank out another 2,867 KWh just to break even with a dead battery pack at 1,200 miles.  Seems to me that will be a lot of weight in fuel and batteries.  Quite possibly more than the D12D and 200 gallons of diesel fuel weight together.  Oh... one other thing.... efficiency and $$$ savings.  Depending on where you are located the cost of 1KWh can vary considerably.  Here on the east coast we are paying Dominion-Virginia Power about $.11 per KWh.  If it takes 213 KWh to drive 65 miles your electric ride ticket will be $23.40.  If we break that down to the cost per mile it is $.36.  Right now on the east coast I am paying $2.35 for a gallon of diesel.  A gallon of diesel is 139,600 BTU.  That is equivalent to 41 KWh or about $.06 per KWh.  Unless my math is terribly wrong (which it can be) the cost of electricity is almost double the cost of diesel.  Granted, not all of the diesel fuel energy is going to move the truck - some of it is used for other forms of energy - mainly heat.  Still, it looks like a break even cost per mile with all of the efficiency stuff factored in.  Oh, he forgot to mention, I may need more than "several" second mortgages to pay for the hydrogen fuel cell and lithium batteries used in the truck.  A forward thinking idea, but it still has a long way to go to be considered a viable option.  None-the less, I look at Elon Musk as a man with a lot of vision and balls.  I can't help but admire him despite what many believe are too many failures and limited success. His Space-X program is taking us further than any other private entrepreneur has ever managed before.  I would rather have a 0-60 in 2.5 second Telsa than a flying car any day of the week.  We were amazed when he built an electric vehicle that could blow a Ferrari off the track and go further than the local grocery store before needing a recharge. He is a dreamer and a risk taker who may end up broke, but I remember saying that about Bill Gates too "several" decades ago.  Not sure why I even took the time to run the math and pen this up.... just something to do, I guess.

[RV_]

Randy,

Boy has this group changed since I last posted here. Musk hasn't been desperate, he is just that much driven. I guess no one read the article because the Nikola is not Musk. The Tesla semi will be a BEV, not as of now any kind of furl cell, hydrogen or other.

I still get a giggle thinking of how Tesla spends no money on advertising as in paying for advertising like the other car makers do. The ideas he conceives, believes, and achieves, draw attention.

I love the idea of a Tesla pickup and semi. we should see prototypes this year!

Best investment I've ever made, next I buy my Tesla. If I cashed in now I could buy three or four Model S Teslas now, but we will settle for a Model 3. I don't want to take my shares off the table. I did take my principal and token profit back when it was in the high $90 range. So I have zip to lose.

I can't wait to see which fleets move their transport over to part BEVs first. Lots of fun coming out.

 

 

[Dollytrolley]

2 hours ago, RV_ said:

Randy,

Boy has this group changed since I last posted here. Musk hasn't been desperate, he is just that much driven. I guess no one read the article because the Nikola is not Musk. The Tesla semi will be a BEV, not as of now any kind of furl cell, hydrogen or other.

I still get a giggle thinking of how Tesla spends no money on advertising as in paying for advertising like the other car makers do. The ideas he conceives, believes, and achieves, draw attention.

I love the idea of a Tesla pickup and semi. we should see prototypes this year!

Best investment I've ever made, next I buy my Tesla. If I cashed in now I could buy three or four Model S Teslas now, but we will settle for a Model 3. I don't want to take my shares off the table. I did take my principal and token profit back when it was in the high $90 range. So I have zip to lose.

I can't wait to see which fleets move their transport over to part BEVs first. Lots of fun coming out.

 

 

Well R V you might have a point so..........I cranked up the old Freighshaker / Dollytrolley and parked REAL close to the 400 AMP 3 Phase shop service entrance...........maybe some stray electrons might jump over into the Trolley and we might get a .....charge.....out of driving again.....

Assuming our ....."current" .....leadership stays the ......course......does the Exon Sec. of State and Coal-Pres seem likely to jump right into the  Elec. Veh. camp anytime soon ? ?

From our "current" camp we are only 66 miles from a Telsa station but I suppose we could hook up the cord to our 3Kw Honda and sip a few cool Dr Peppers.......

Jeff comments often how large trucking firms are so........progressive...... that they are just spinning in circles to jump on the next new trend.......

Drive on.........(Honey....where did you put that file full of your mothers........Enron stocks.....)

 

[Pete Kildow]

On 4/16/2017 at 8:43 AM, beyerjf said:

 

I will wait for my flying car.  

 

 

Are you crazy.... Flying car. HAHHA For me a flying RV... Now that is what I'm waiting for.

[beyerjf]

Although Nikola and Tesla are indeed separate companies, I am reasonably certain Nikola is using Tesla technology and cooperating in other ways. 

The trucking industry is so risk averse and cost conscious that they have almost completely rejected common technologies like disc brakes for over 30 years,  even with major government mandates regarding braking performance designed to force their adoption.

To think they will get on board with the exotic technologies described on both Nikola and Tesla websites is a real stretch. Not to mention the infrastructure investment someone will have to make to support either.

If stock price performance is any indicator, I will see how my stake in Tucker Motors is doing. It is analogous to the promises bandied about now. Preston Tucker did make 51 of them, before he was prosecuted although not convicted for fraud. His contemporaries are a little more slick in their presentations.

[Gregg Carsson]

Well, it looks like someone finally let the cat out of the bag on Jack's new HTD build!