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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Can Tesla Semi Deliver Where The Rubber Meets The Road?

Let’s assume for a minute that the Tesla Semi does hit the market with its electric wheels turning, and it does start to gain momentum in the short run. Tesla is very tenacious, and they do make good products.

But they are going up against a titan with a global (and established) distribution and service network. They are already developing their own fleet of electric trucks, and even if those fall short of the Tesla Semi, there is an (almost) unlimited R&D budget to hit the drawing board with new ideas.

Fuel Savings Are Just A Small Part Of The Equation

The game-changer isn’t going to be new fuel for the transportation industry. It’s already a given that fossil fuels are on their way out. We’re quickly transitioning into electric power (or possibly hydrogen?) and those that don’t get on board will ultimately be cut out.

But there’s a lot more to consider than just whether or not the Tesla Semi is superior to what we currently have, or what’s currently being developed. 0-60mph-performance is a cute number, and it attracts the light-duty car buyers like a bug zapper.

Commercial operators don’t care how fast a truck can accelerate. Acceleration will happen as little as possible in an ideal world. Can the Tesla Semi run a million miles before needing its traction motors overhauled, or replaced? Can the Tesla Semi be serviced nationwide, at all hours of the day? Can the Tesla Semi even be serviced?

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