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8.1 Van

Millstone NJ

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Posted: 09/14/17 05:24pm

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Everything We Know About Tesla's Semi Truck

I wonder what the range is ?

[image]

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NJRVer

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Posted: 09/14/17 06:08pm

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Hawthorne?

Hawthorne, TX??

8.1 Van

Millstone NJ

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Posted: 09/14/17 06:17pm

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NJRVer

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Posted: 09/14/17 06:27pm

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OK.
That makes sense.

John / Angela

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Posted: 09/14/17 06:52pm

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I would have liked to be there to see the demo. We are going to try and get to Fremont this winter for a tour of the factory. It has to be arranged in advance and there is a waiting list. Hope to see a Tesla 3 in the Palm Springs store this year. We are a few years away from upgrading the leaf but it would be fun to take one for a burn. We have taken an S 90D for a drive. Way fun but not in my budget. The 3 is doable though. We'll see what's on the market then. Kinda like the new leaf as well.

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dodge guy

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Posted: 09/14/17 08:39pm

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I think this would work if they had a good solar panel system. I think with a van type trailer loaded with solar panels would greatly extend mileage.

It will be interesting!

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FishOnOne

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Posted: 09/14/17 10:27pm

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dodge guy wrote:

I think this would work if they had a good solar panel system. I think with a van type trailer loaded with solar panels would greatly extend mileage.

It will be interesting!

Solar power is not efficient enough nor is the power generation predictable to have a significant impact. Anyways I'm always interested in new tech.

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valhalla360

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Posted: 09/15/17 02:35am

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dodge guy wrote:

I think this would work if they had a good solar panel system. I think with a van type trailer loaded with solar panels would greatly extend mileage.

It will be interesting!

Assuming a 8'x 50' trailer with 14w per sqft that's about 5.6kw of panels assuming 100% coverage (80-90% is more realistic).

On a typical day, the assumption is typically about 4hr at the rated output, so 22.4kw-h generated.

A semi-tractor typically has a 400-500hp diesel and climbing long grades is the use case that pushes the HP requirement (unlike a car where it's acceleration that drives the HP requirements and the low end torque of an electric motor is a big advantage). Going down the road loaded at 65mph, expect the engine to be putting out around 200hp or about 153kw.

So at 65mph, a full days solar collection (assuming 100% efficiency) will generate 8.75 minutes of propulsion.

When you figure you won't get 100% coverage on the top of the truck, the panels won't be 100% clean and you won't get 100% efficiency, if you get 5 minutes run time off the solar panels, I would be shocked. At 6mpg, that's about 0.9gal diesel per day saved. So let's be generous and assume fuel prices go up such that it's $5/day in fuel savings or 1.8% of the fuel consumption on an 8hr run.

A 5.6kw home solar array runs about $15k. Let's pretend, the truck one wouldn't cost more and wouldn't negate the energy collected by increased drag with the solar panels.
- If you got an interest free loan it would take 8 yrs to pay off but assuming say a 5% it jumps to 11yrs
- At current $2.50/gal, the 5% annual interest is greater than the annual payment. Even worse if you figure $20k solar array to make it road worthy.

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valhalla360

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Posted: 09/15/17 02:44am

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Vaporware!

Daimler is starting production on an electric panel van. This is an actual in production truck: 10,000lb cargo capacity and 60 mile range.

Tesla is claiming 4-5times the range on a truck with a 50,000lb cargo capacity (typical for a semi tractor trailor with an 80,000lb road limit).

Also Tesla supposedly put all their patents out for public use, so no hidden magic technology. Heck, GM matched the Tesla car range in about a year with the bolt and got to production first, so there is no reason to believe that Daimler can't at least get within 10% on a truck.

When they claim a 300% advantage while carrying 5 times the cargo, no way it can be believed.