Elon Musk

Tesla plans to launch Semi production in 2020

Tesla recently announced its plan to start manufacturing a small number of Semi electric trucks in 2020, but according to a schedule published by Tesla, automaker has not yet specified where the car will be manufactured.


Tesla earnings report Q3 2019

“Next year we will start production. We are very happy, we are driving the trucks extensively with so far, I think, quite amazing success, yes,” said Jerome Guillen, Tesla’s President of Automotive and the head of the Tesla Semi program.

Semi was released back in 2017, but now Tesla announced that it would officially begin production in 2020. The shape of the front of the Semi has taken on the Tesla style.



Photo: Allcarz

All four wheels are equipped with independent engines. In addition, the built-in sensors can determine the condition of the car body, automatically distribute the power of the four wheels and simultaneously control each brake individually.

According to preliminary data, Tesla Semi will now launch two models. The first one with a range of 300 miles, its price will be $150,000. The second with a range of 500 miles will be sold for $180,000. However, Elon Musk said they found opportunities to expand this range during testing, and he said that the production version of the Tesla Semi would have a distance around 600 miles. Although the Semi costs more than other diesel-powered trucks, Elon Musk also said that the most commendable part of the Semi is the low cost of use. When mileage reaches 1 million miles, logistics companies can save about $250,000.

 

Photo: Allcarz

At the same time, as the leading brand of new electric vehicles, Tesla has introduced many innovations in the Semi. This time Tesla placed the driver's seat in the middle of the cab, and also equipped it with the latest technology. Semi, like all Tesla cars, is equipped with an Auto Pilot system: it can perform automatic braking and emergency stop in emergency situations, significantly reducing the likelihood of accidents.

 

Photo: Allcarz

Tesla Semi will install a battery under the head of the trailer, and the car will be equipped with several batteries, even if one battery pack is damaged, this will not affect driving. The new car uses a four-wheel independent engine design and is equipped with on-board sensors to determine the condition of the body.

Semi is a radically new chapter in the history of electric cars. The world had not seen anything like this before the Semi. The claimed Tesla Semi resource is 1 million miles. This means that during its life cycle, the truck will be able to drive around the globe 40 times.

Tesla Semi has better characteristics than the "classic" diesel trucks. For example, the Tesla accelerates to 60 mph in 5 seconds without load and in 20 seconds when fully loaded. A diesel truck without load needs 15 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph.

Recently, a Tesla Semi prototype was spotted at a California Highway Patrol Inspection Center and the CHP reported that the electric truck prototype was “meeting or exceeding the range estimates.”

In the future commercial vehicle market, new electric vehicles are a development trend. Tesla's electric heavy trucks are excellent in both design and technology.

About the Author

Eva Fox

Eva Fox

Eva Fox joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover breaking news as an automotive journalist. The main topics that she covers are clean energy and electric vehicles. As a journalist, Eva is specialized in Tesla and topics related to the work and development of the company.

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