Tesla Semi Will "Learn The Hard Way" Says Daimler

Tesla Semi Will “Learn The Hard Way” Says Daimler

HINSDALE, IL - JUNE 10: A truck driver navigates a rain-covered highway on the outskirts of Chicago on June 10, 2014 in Hinsdale, Illinois. Legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate that would ease restrictions on the number of hours truckers can drive each week is being questioned following a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike in which an allegedly sleep-deprived truck driver crashed into a bus, seriously injuring comedian Tracy Morgan and killing Morgan's friend, fellow comedian James "Jimmy Mack" McNair. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) /

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What Can Tesla Semi REALLY Offer?

Again, this is a very general estimate. Some drivers will report much lower fuel costs, while other trucks can suck down over $70,000 of diesel in a year’s time. Mind you, these are single driver estimates. When you run a team, and the truck seldom stops moving, it’s not hard to imagine what those annual fuel bills would look like.

With fuel being the single largest expense operators face in the trucking industry, it’s easy to see how appealing Tesla’s power units are positioning themselves to be. If you were to navigate over the Tesla Semi website, one of the first lines of text reads, “lowest energy costs per mile.”

Tesla Semi Claims To Be Very Competitive

Elon is no dummy, and he knows good and well what operators care about. The performance of the Tesla Semi (with respect to “loaded” acceleration) seems fairly comparable. Tesla Semi claims it can pull 80,000lbs to 60mph in 20 seconds.

The average person has no frame of reference to compare this to, but you’ll hear estimates of 20-25 seconds claimed by some drivers, while others will claim closer to a minute or more. Power ratings, final gearing, aerodynamics, and truck design are only a few factors that contribute to this number.

Either way, it’s safe to say that the Tesla Semi is claiming to deliver an exceptional operating cost reduction while remaining competitive to the hardware that’s currently available on the market. Aside from the truck looking like a poorly-designed toy for toddlers, what’s not to love about it?

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