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The Tesla Semi Is an Engineering Failure

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Re: The Tesla Semi Is an Engineering Failure

#11

Post by itsoktocry »

RobinL wrote: post #6

The video argues that, with current battery technology, to achieve the same range as a current semi, most of the weight of the truck will be batteries, leaving little weight for cargo (3 tonnes relative to 19 tonnes). I've noticed there is a common theme to arguments against electrification: that they assume it's necessary for an electric vehicle needs to match all the capabilities of a fossil fuel equivalent. i.e. t…

>Why can't the truck just have shorter range (and thus more cargo capacity) and charge more regularly?

This seems inevitable in the short term. But then, the trade-offs tilt less in favour of electrification. For example, shorter ranges likely means more trucks, and these trucks will likely be heavier and do more damage to roads.

Re: The Tesla Semi Is an Engineering Failure

#13

Post by RobinL »

foobiekr wrote: post #8
RobinL wrote: post #6

The video argues that, with current battery technology, to achieve the same range as a current semi, most of the weight of the truck will be batteries, leaving little weight for cargo (3 tonnes relative to 19 tonnes). I've noticed there is a common theme to arguments against electrification: that they assume it's necessary for an electric vehicle needs to match all the capabilities of a fossil fuel equivalent. i.e. t…

The history of the entire industries that have a perfectly functional (more functional) alternative re-factoring themselves to match some new offering is quite poor.

I agree that industries will not do this voluntarily. They will just chase a profit. Climate change is a market failure so we need governments to change incentives to make it in industries' interest to change. A carbon tax is one option.

Re: The Tesla Semi Is an Engineering Failure

#14

Post by itsoktocry »

liquidise wrote: post #2

> “Did Elon Musk do it? Did he finally create something that isn’t a worse version of what we already have?” This statement strikes me as ignorant even if we talk exclusively about Tesla. The idea that Elon hasn’t improved on existing designs across all of his current companies (or Paypal) borders on indefensible. Reusable and landable stage 1 boosters come to mind.

>(or Paypal)

It's odd people bring up PayPal as a star on Elon's resume.

    a) PayPal, especially in the early days, was near universally reviled.  It was sort of what we were stuck with.

    b)  Elon became part of PayPal in a merger, and was later removed as CEO.
I've seen people say Musk "revolutionized online payments". That's pretty revisionist.

Re: The Tesla Semi Is an Engineering Failure

#15

Post by rgbrenner »

When I see insiders in the industry adopting new technology, while a commenter with no background in the tech says it's terrible.. I'll generally believe the industry experts. Tesla has presold hundreds of these trucks to walmart, fedex, etc. The question is what did he miss...

Here's the first big mistake I think he made in the video at 3:45. He pulls this "1 to 20" number out of no where to come up with a battery weight of 17t. But we know a 600kwh battery is 8000lbs.[0]

This article also mentions that the max legal payload is increased by 2000lbs for ev trucks... meaning the payload is going to be very close to a gas truck.

0. https://insideevs.com/news/525765/tesla-semi-payload-compara...

Re: The Tesla Semi Is an Engineering Failure

#16

Post by itsoktocry »

ryan93 wrote: post #10
liquidise wrote: post #2

> “Did Elon Musk do it? Did he finally create something that isn’t a worse version of what we already have?” This statement strikes me as ignorant even if we talk exclusively about Tesla. The idea that Elon hasn’t improved on existing designs across all of his current companies (or Paypal) borders on indefensible. Reusable and landable stage 1 boosters come to mind.

Why do people always bring up accomplishments at spacex in arguments about Tesla

>Why do people always bring up accomplishments at spacex in arguments about Tesla

I think some of these people believe Elon is personally designing and engineering these things, so naturally it carries over.

Gwynne Shotwell doesn't get enough credit.

Re: The Tesla Semi Is an Engineering Failure

#17

Post by chakhs »

RobinL wrote: post #6

The video argues that, with current battery technology, to achieve the same range as a current semi, most of the weight of the truck will be batteries, leaving little weight for cargo (3 tonnes relative to 19 tonnes). I've noticed there is a common theme to arguments against electrification: that they assume it's necessary for an electric vehicle needs to match all the capabilities of a fossil fuel equivalent. i.e. t…

Cargo transport needs long distance and big capacity. You don't need those in cars so they're not comparable. The video is not against electrification, it just argues it doesn't work with cargo transport, it is very inefficient.

Re: The Tesla Semi Is an Engineering Failure

#19

Post by fallingknife »

This video is bullshit. The 1:20 ratio for battery weight is nonsense. A Model 3 long range has a 1060 lb battery vs 20 gallons of gas which weighs 126 lbs. So it's more like 8.5x. Also he doesn't take into account the simplicity of an electric motor vs a ICE engine. e.g. an electric truck doesn't need a transmission, so there will be a lot of weight savings there.
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