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Tesla Semi

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Re: Tesla Semi

#511

Post by hobofan »

grecy wrote: post #452
dchuk wrote: post #420

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, big rigs are just a couple of tires and brakes. No glass, shocks, computer systems, hitches, cabling for trailers, lights, body pieces, or anything else. Just brakes and tires.

I get what you are saying, but do remember Elon made a huge point of saying they are going for massive reliability, and have a 1,000,000 mile warranty on this thing. He explicitly addressed glass (doesn't break)

Do you think other semi-truck producers don't engineer for "massive reliability"? They do, and even then all kinds of parts break from time to time, as that is inevitable for physical machines in use. Unless Tesla packages their vehicles with a force-field generator and an "anti-wear-and-tear"-machine to prevent all malfunctions, I don't see how they would make significant leaps in anything other than the drivetrain. Predictive maintenance, which is already a thing in modern trucks also eases the problem of wear and tear failures.

The "unbreakable" glass felt mainly like a marketing gimmick, and I'll believe it when I see it. Also, keep in mind that two years in the future, when the truck comes out, "unbreakable" glass might very realistically be a feature competitors have caught up on.

Re: Tesla Semi

#512

Post by jasonwatkinspdx »

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…

> all that ridiculous plastic

I'd bet those fairings are needed to get the low cD, and that without them the economics are nearly as competitive. I'd give them the benefit of the doubt on having designed for blow outs as that seems rather basic.

Re: Tesla Semi

#513

Post by mcgarnagle »

andrepd wrote: post #348
mcgarnagle wrote: post #335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

lets not compare iphonex to Elon Musk's glass. I know nothing about glass, but, I trust the guy with a company called spaceX on his portfolio to make my glass right.

It's this kind of ridiculous bootlicking that makes me dislike the Musk cult with a passion.

It's not bootlicking. It's just common sense when you factor in cost, thickness and experience with durability. You know, re-entering the atmosphere and not burning up. I don't trust apple's marketing about iphone durability because I have broken several. This is a new product, and already you're comparing it to a smartphone that costs $1,000 and $250 to manufacture? The iphone: 1. lower price point than the truck 2. has to be slim, and lightweight. Many restrictions.

the semi: 1. costs much more than an iphone, which we're to assume accounts for the expensive windshield. 2. the windshield can be as thick as your attitude.

Re: Tesla Semi

#514

Post by mcgarnagle »

cucuuc wrote: post #364
mcgarnagle wrote: post #335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

lets not compare iphonex to Elon Musk's glass. I know nothing about glass, but, I trust the guy with a company called spaceX on his portfolio to make my glass right.

It’s glass - it’a not pixie dust doped adamantium. Metals arent particularly strong. Glass, plastics, etc are all stronger (yield strength). But boy are they ductile, and very tough. Iron can take, literally, an infinite number of loading cycle. You can make ceramics, glass, etc better but the overall performance package of iron is very hard to beat. If I were to dismiss SpaceX as 1950s technology with modern electro…

My problem was comparing the iphone that has a $1,000 price point to the new glass of the semi. I'm not comparing anything to truck manufacturing industry. I presume that that it also costs more than an iPhone. So what's your point?

Re: Tesla Semi

#515

Post by dsfyu404ed »

awjr wrote: post #383

I've been making the point that fuel duty and car taxes (if your country has them) need to be removed and road pricing brought in. Price per litre of diesel in the USA is about $0.75 vs $1.64 in the UK. Given that Tesla stated that the truck would pay for itself within 2 years ($200,000 in diesel savings), we're talking 11 months in the UK. The implication is that eHGVs will radically reduce the tax revenue of countr…

>Dynamic road pricing, based not only on time of day, but also vehicle type, is probably the only way forward.

Wouldn't want to let poor people with inflexible work hours go un-screwed... /s

I don't know why everyone sees reduced tax revenue as a problems. Less money to spend means more critical evaluation of how it gets spent.

Re: Tesla Semi

#516

Post by dchuk »

grecy wrote: post #452
dchuk wrote: post #420

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, big rigs are just a couple of tires and brakes. No glass, shocks, computer systems, hitches, cabling for trailers, lights, body pieces, or anything else. Just brakes and tires.

I get what you are saying, but do remember Elon made a huge point of saying they are going for massive reliability, and have a 1,000,000 mile warranty on this thing. He explicitly addressed glass (doesn't break)

Big rigs are some of the most reliable machines in the world, they regularly rack up millions of miles while in service. And they take a hell of a beating while doing it.

All the other manufacturers have been "going for massive reliability" for decades.

Re: Tesla Semi

#518

Post by ttepasse »

bonestamp2 wrote: post #494

I hope Tesla builds the next gen USPS delivery trucks to replace all of those loud little trucks that sound like a space shuttle launch between each mailbox.

Germany's biggest postal service, the Deutsche Post (ex state monopolist) searched for an electric delivery van and couldn't find one. So they bought a startup and developed their own:

* https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-24/even-germ...

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StreetScooter

Re: Tesla Semi

#519

Post by Diederich »

vincnetas wrote: post #344

EU will like these huge windshields, because of the pedestrian safety. "Contrary to passenger cars, there are currently no direct vision requirements for trucks. Direct vision – what you can see with your own eyes – has a number of benefits compared to indirect vision (mirrors and camera’s). To measure direct vision the Commission should use a standardised methodology." Very nice summary on truck blindspots : https:/…

Huge windshields are good for pedestrian safety, enhanced autopilot with every truck sold is fantastic for pedestrian safety.

Re: Tesla Semi

#520

Post by dsfyu404ed »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #499
masklinn wrote: post #258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's way beyond that. 1. it makes changing a tire more complicated, and time is money, the longer it takes to change a blown tire the higher the penalties 2. when a semi tire goes, it goes hard , as GP noted with this arrangement the cowling will probably shatter, requiring a replacement (not just a replacement tire) and the pieces taking out other tire. If the cowling does not break, it will funnel bits of tire stra…

when a semi tire goes... ... it's usually because the company was too cheap to buy anything but retreads.

Retreads don't fail appreciably more often than new tires. Being in the boring part of the bathtub curve makes up for their age.

DOT HS 811 060 is the study you should Google.

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