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The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

bradmunchen.substack.com

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Re: The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

#161

Post by code_runner »

Element_ wrote: post #6

> Tesla uses the the tri-motor system from the Models S/X Plaid on one axle of the Semi, which seems both dangerous and needless, given the lack of concern among Semi users for quick acceleration Jay Leno did an interview with one of the Tesla Truck engineers the other week, I believe he mentioned each axle is geared differently. One specifically for highway speeds and the other one disconnects for optimal efficiency…

I love the assumption here that truck drivers just aren’t interested in better acceleration.

Re: The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

#162

Post by jcranmer »

DaiPlusPlus wrote: post #122
jcranmer wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Ideally, yes - but the US is lacking in rail infrastructure, so the US needs zero-emission, road-based, logistics solutions. Are you aware that the US has the largest rail network of any country in the world, almost the size of the next two (both of whom are geographically larger than the US) combined?

> Are you aware that the US has the largest rail network of any country in the world, almost the size of the next two (both of whom are geographically larger than the US) combined? Well of course, the US is a big country - but the overall density of rail (both freight and passenger rail) is lacking compared to Europe (and China too, I think?). I live in the Seattle metro area where the major cities (Everett, Seattle,…

If you measure by mode share, the US railroad industry actually has a higher mode share than most European countries. The main issue with the freight rail industry in the US is that it's over-optimizing for the ultra-long-haul extreme bulk delivery--essentially acting as extensions of ports 1000's of miles inland--and abandoning local freight (where you drop off a car or two once a month or so) in the process. But that's not really caused by lack of rail infrastructure, which was your original complaint.

Re: The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

#163

Post by LeoPanthera »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #118
LeoPanthera wrote: post #44

I love that the Semi is just about as reliable as my Model X, which has been in for service 10 times, and even just this morning I got in to discover it completely dead with black screens. I can't wait to get rid of the damn thing.

This is a huge bummer to hear. I have over 100k miles on an ‘18 Model S with almost zero problems. Tires and wiper fluid is all she’s had done, almost exclusively supercharged. As sibling comment said, lemon it.

It's three years old, and was only undrivable for a total of about a week. It does not quality for lemon, and even if it did, I don't have the energy to fight Tesla.

I've literally had Tesla service people yelling at me, telling me that I am a liar about the problems my car has been having. There's no way I'm voluntarily talking to anyone from Tesla that I don't have to.

Re: The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

#164

Post by LeoPanthera »

gumby wrote: post #109
LeoPanthera wrote: post #44

I love that the Semi is just about as reliable as my Model X, which has been in for service 10 times, and even just this morning I got in to discover it completely dead with black screens. I can't wait to get rid of the damn thing.

Are you in California? There is a lemon law that should apply to what you describe. You’ll get your money back.

From the other comment: It's three years old, and was only undrivable for a total of about a week. It does not quality for lemon.

Re: The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

#165

Post by [deleted] »

Drblessing wrote: post #127
wilg wrote: post #43

The author clearly has an angle here. Tesla's obviously in some kind of beta mode. They've even said (in the Leno episode) they're going to rev the thing before going into full production. Plus battery degradation is well understood. Plus it's known there are multiple range editions of the Semi, they aren't all the 500mi version. Also obviously the taxpayers aren't paying for this vehicle program somehow. Wait a year…

Exactly right. We should be cheering and champion on the success of these very early and primitive electric trucks. Also, notice how much energy it takes to move them. The author states that the power station for these few trucks could power 28,000 homes. This is the reality of industry, it uses a lot of power. We need to keep increasing the electric grid for nuclear and renewables.

[deleted]

Re: The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

#166

Post by jojobas »

Drblessing wrote: post #127
wilg wrote: post #43

The author clearly has an angle here. Tesla's obviously in some kind of beta mode. They've even said (in the Leno episode) they're going to rev the thing before going into full production. Plus battery degradation is well understood. Plus it's known there are multiple range editions of the Semi, they aren't all the 500mi version. Also obviously the taxpayers aren't paying for this vehicle program somehow. Wait a year…

Exactly right. We should be cheering and champion on the success of these very early and primitive electric trucks. Also, notice how much energy it takes to move them. The author states that the power station for these few trucks could power 28,000 homes. This is the reality of industry, it uses a lot of power. We need to keep increasing the electric grid for nuclear and renewables.

You can cheer on something that actually works, like Freightliner or Volvo.

Re: The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

#167

Post by pclmulqdq »

theteapot wrote: post #116
wilg wrote: post #43

The author clearly has an angle here. Tesla's obviously in some kind of beta mode. They've even said (in the Leno episode) they're going to rev the thing before going into full production. Plus battery degradation is well understood. Plus it's known there are multiple range editions of the Semi, they aren't all the 500mi version. Also obviously the taxpayers aren't paying for this vehicle program somehow. Wait a year…

Completely agree. This is why they are doing small scale closed doors trials in collaboration with a single private company ... Problems seem normal. "Hot mess" seems normal. They're not in production.

"Order now, you get the truck in 2 years" - Elon Musk 6 years ago.

Re: The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

#168

Post by uoaei »

thinkmassive wrote: post #112
uoaei wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This is my fear with everyone eventually plugging in their electric vehicles at 5pm Household- or neighborhood-scale battery banks make a lot of sense in the near term. Because they are stationary they don't need to emphasize light materials and can focus more on cost efficiency and charge/discharge rate than mass or energy density using more readily available materials and cheap production methods. With relatively…

Like a Tesla Powerwall

Aren't those still made with lithium?

Re: The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

#169

Post by datadrivenangel »

Drblessing wrote: post #121

> All Tesla Semis and other electric trucks are subsidized by California state and the Megacharger station alone cost around $6 million [these mega chargers can power up to 28,000 homes]. The average US household consumes around 10,649 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). This translates to an average of about 888 kWh per month, or about 29.6 kWh p…

All you need is 34.5 Megawatts of power delivery, which is a lot of power but doable.

Re: The Tesla Semi from an Insider's View After One Year: "Hot Mess"

#170

Post by SoftTalker »

jonathankoren wrote: post #132
ryaneager wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean car companies have been releasing concept art of future vehicles since like forever so it’s pretty standard.

Concept cars aren't driven, let alone sold/given to actual customers.

They also aren't normally intended to ever be produced. They are one-offs, to experiment with design ideas and get reactions.
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