Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Tesla Semi

tesla.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

301–310 of 575 posts

Re: Tesla Semi

#301

Post by noselasd »

isaiahg wrote: post #208
nwmcsween wrote: post #132

Ok as a mechanic a few million questions: * What happens when a wheel seal goes? Do I have to remove all that ridiculous plastic on #2,3 axels?? * What happens when a tire blows? Is it going to destroy all that plastic and take out a few more tires in the process? * Why all the glass? I've spend entire days replacing windshields for a 12 or so truck shop which generally come in two (drivers and passengers), the Tesla…

You should probably watch the actual reveal, it's already on YouTube. The glass was already addressed and he gave it a specific focus. Even claiming it can withstand an atomic blast.

A few other people have also referenced the "reveal". Does anyone know what is meant by this, and have a link ?

Re: Tesla Semi

#302

Post by cm2187 »

celim307 wrote: post #294
dnzm wrote: post #278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could it be that this semi just isn't meant for those in-city hauls, but more for the longer-range highway hauls?

I would say no because they currently have no sleeper cabin in their design

And I don't see where they can hang the traditional playboy calendar.

Re: Tesla Semi

#303

Post by wellboy »

akhatri_aus wrote: post #265
owlmirror wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The entire reusability thing was not really a thing before spacex

There was already a working program that had their funding axed: Here's a video from 1995: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv9n9Casp1o . There were others too.

Yes, because it is incredibly hard to bring reusable rockets from concept to full execution.

The idea has been arouns for a long time and there have ben dozens of attempts of course, just as flying cars, autonomous cars, real A.I, space elevators.

Concept an execution are vastly different animals, it is at least 1000 times more difficult to achieve resuable rockets than to have the idea and at least 100 times more difficult than to try it.

Re: Tesla Semi

#304

Post by Voyage_wanderer »

tlrobinson wrote: post #254

How does the mileage and recharge time compare to a traditional semi-truck? And are there enough charging stations along trucking routes?

In US a solo driver can drive 11 hours before mandatory 10 hours break. Which, depending on route and traffic, puts you in 500-600 miles/day. Rules around the world are about the same. There are not enough simple parking spots around. So taking up on charging station problem is a bigger task than the truck itself.

Re: Tesla Semi

#305

Post by josephagoss »

beagleman wrote: post #277
ksec wrote: post #233

I wonder how does Frozen Container works with this? I would be a huge drain to battery.

Are those normally run off of the prime mover's engine? I'd never even thought about that.

Every refrigerated container I've seen has its own cooling unit and does not use the trucks power.

Re: Tesla Semi

#306

Post by aerovistae »

stuartloxton wrote: post #262
aerovistae wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"None of the tech is really new"? Lol? Could you tell me about the old re-usable rockets from before?

This isn't an agreement with the parents comment about Tesla but re-usable rockets weren't invented by SpaceX. The idea existed for a while and various projects got to different stages. Including a functional 'McDonnell_Douglas_DC-X'. The project got taken over by NASA and the budget cut before being axed. You really do sound a bit too fanatical and should probably question more instead of accepting companies as enti…

"The idea existed for awhile"

Yep, SpaceX has barely innovated at all. Their contributions to space flight are not really of note.

Re: Tesla Semi

#307

Post by _Codemonkeyism »

njarboe wrote: post #199
nwmcsween wrote: post #132

Ok as a mechanic a few million questions: * What happens when a wheel seal goes? Do I have to remove all that ridiculous plastic on #2,3 axels?? * What happens when a tire blows? Is it going to destroy all that plastic and take out a few more tires in the process? * Why all the glass? I've spend entire days replacing windshields for a 12 or so truck shop which generally come in two (drivers and passengers), the Tesla…

He states that they have spent a lot of time talking to truckers and truck companies. I would guess they believe that with an electric drive train repairs and maintenance will be an order of magnitude lower (not sure how that works for tires and wheels). Body damage should also be much lower with automatic breaking and other features of enhanced autopilot. As Musk said, broken glass is a big cost for trucking as you…

What does "nuclear blast" mean?

5m to the explosion?

10km to the explosion?

What warhead? 10kt, 10Mt?

Re: Tesla Semi

#308

Post by alfla »

davnn wrote: post #195
coldsauce wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The majority of trucking companies aren't big enough to be able to have in house shops.

Not source checked but it appears that 96% of trucking companies have 28 trucks or less and 82% operate with less than 6 trucks. http://www.truckingoffice.com/2012/interesting-trucking-indu...

Would be interesting to know how large proportion of trucks were in the 4% largest trucking companies. If that turns out to be a large quantity, then the 96% figure no longer seems that big.

Re: Tesla Semi

#309

Post by _Codemonkeyism »

aerovistae wrote: post #192
nwmcsween wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then it's dead out of the gate, almost every trucking company in existence does in house repairs due to cost.

Call me a fanboy, but something tells me that the guy who built a revolutionary space program from scratch while successfully running a revolutionary auto company, probably has some ability to think things through pretty comprehensively from all angles and plan effectively for what's needed. Do you think you've just pointed out something that never occurred to him? Do you think if you could share your comments with h…

I call you a fanboy.

Re: Tesla Semi

#310

Post by cm2187 »

Voyage_wanderer wrote: post #299
micheljansen wrote: post #279

"The quickest acceleration—from zero to 60 mph in 20 seconds, fully loaded." sound of cargo falling over :P But serious question: how important is acceleration for trucks?

Merging into freeways is always a problem and a hazard to everyone involved. Quick acceleration makes highway safer. More pulling power also means less slow trucks on grades and less jams around them. It is of course irrelevant for the bright future where are no human drivers.

Also doesn't that torque helps when going uphill?
Post reply on HN