Tesla Semi Drove 500 Miles While Weighing 81,000 lbs, Confirming Impressive Performance

Image: u/brookhouser/Reddit

Tesla Semi, weighing 81,000 lbs, drove 500 miles, showing impressive performance. CEO Elon Musk shared the results of internal testing confirming the characteristics declared for the truck.

In just a few days, on December 1, the first Tesla Semis will be delivered. Pepsi Co. will be the first customer in the world to receive the class 8 electric trucks, and with them, the opportunity to run their operations more economically and cleaner for the environment. These will be versions with a range of 500 miles, as previously announced by Elon Musk. According to the specifications, this version of the truck will be able to drive 500 miles fully loaded, which equates to about 82,000 lbs.

On Saturday, Musk shared the results of internal testing of Tesla Semi and they were excellent. He tweeted that the team had just completed a 500-mile drive of the 81,000 lbs truck, indicating that Semi did a great job of covering that distance at full load. It is great news that real-world testing is in line with the company's claims.

Tesla team just completed a 500 mile drive with a Tesla Semi weighing in at 81,000 lbs!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 27, 2022

In August, Tesla released an update on Semi that included range when fully loaded. The exact battery capacity has not been disclosed, however it was indicated that the energy consumption per mile would be less than 2 kWh. With this figure, it can be assumed that the battery capacity will be around 600 kWh for the 300-mile version and 1000 kWh for the 500-mile version, although this has yet to be confirmed or denied.

With a full load, Tesla Semi will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 20 seconds. In addition, the truck will be able to reach the speed limit on highways with a 5% grade. These characteristics are extremely important for driving on the roads, as they allow trucks to safely and quickly overtake without blocking traffic, and reduce the likelihood of accidents. To make this possible, three independent motors provide instant torque and unmatched power at any speed.

Semi comes standard with active safety features that pair with advanced motor and brake controls to deliver traction and stability in all conditions. A central seating position gives the driver better visibility, while an all-electric architecture reduces both rollover risk and cabin intrusion in case of an accident.

Tesla said that up to 70% of the range can be recharged in 30 minutes using Tesla's Semi Chargers (Megacharger).

One of the most notable benefits of Tesla Semi is its savings on fuel costs. The manufacturer said the electric truck is expected to save up to $200,000 over its first three years of ownership compared to a diesel competitor.

“Charging with electricity is approximately 2.5 times cheaper per mile than refueling with diesel.* Operators can see estimated fuel savings of up to $200,000 within their first three years of ownership. With remote diagnostics, over-the-air software updates and fewer moving parts to maintain, operators will spend less time at service centers and more time on the road.”

© 2022, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.

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Article edited by @SmokeyShorts; follow him on Twitter

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