Master Plan, Part Deux

The same is true when you prevent death by any means at all. Everyone dies eventually by some cause. This does not mean we shouldn't try to prolong life where we can by avoiding early, needless death! (Otherwise why would we even have airbags or seatbelts, etc?)

The truck logistics industry has been struggling with this problem for years. How do we increase fuel efficiency from the days of 90s Caterpillar engines dragging 80K lbs at 4.3 mpg while simultaneously decreasing emissions while simultaneously figuring out how to make the truck itself lighter and able to move more cargo in a single load?

Autonomous electric trucks would improve "fuel" economy and minimize downtime caused by the limits of human endurance, but at what cost? How many miles of range would the batteries have to have to compensate for the slower cruising speed and additional stops needed to recharge them? How much DOT downtime has to be eliminated to make up for being able to pull a few thousand pounds less on each trip, owing to the massive number of LiOn batteries scattered around the truck and trailer?

When I worked at Penske Truck Leasing in the late aughts, I'd have fascinating conversations with truck drivers on the math they were doing to optimize for fuel economy and load capacity. The switch one of Penske's clients made in changing their fleet to DEF Volvos with 240 gallons of diesel capacity compared to the classic Detroit Diesel Freightliner Centuries with dual 150-gallon tanks caused many an angry tirade.

Many of the drivers were constantly juggling juuuuuust enough fuel to make it to the destination and back; the trailer they were headed to pick up was so heavy they couldn't have more than ~200 gallons of fuel or they'd be over 80K and fined accordingly at the scales. Good luck making that 1200 mile round trip on your 200 gallons, driver.

I'm not sure trucks are the answer. We'd need too much overhauling of the current system to make it worthwhile. Without increasing weight loads, which destroys our infrastructure even faster, as well as rethinking how trailers are loaded and unloaded to maximize the 24/7 automated nature of autonomous fleets... We're a long way off.

And, anyways, aren't cargo ships and trains basically already electric and their massive diesel engines are just powering the electric motors? No weight limits or problems caused by slow cruising speeds in those applications, that I'm aware of.

People who buy electric cars are far more likely to buy solar panels. And storage batteries. And wiring they would need for the electric car. It's all directly related.

So when I buy a Tesla ... I have to hire a 3rd party to install the wiring to charge it. I can buy the storage battery from Tesla, but again, need to hire someone else to install it. And if I want solar panels for that storage battery, again 3rd party.

SolarCity has a fleet of professionals ready to do all of that. They also have a plant to manufacture their own panels, which hopefully they'll be able to differentiate on. Combining the two companies will enable Tesla to service that whole loop with the equipment and installation.

Now, you can argue that Tesla may have been better off starting their own division from scratch or buying someone else ... but from what I heard, they're getting a hell of a bargain for SolarCity.