{"id":29584,"date":"2022-08-19T02:29:16","date_gmt":"2022-08-19T06:29:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=29584"},"modified":"2022-08-19T02:29:16","modified_gmt":"2022-08-19T06:29:16","slug":"tesla-semi-reservations-closed-new-details-released-ahead-of-launch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=29584","title":{"rendered":"Tesla Semi reservations closed, new details released ahead of launch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tesla has stopped taking reservations for the upcoming Tesla Semi, which is slated to release later this year<\/a>. In addition, it has updated its site with new specs, pictures and video of the electric semi truck.<\/p>\n

Five years after the Tesla Semi\u2019s original unveiling<\/a>, it looks like we might finally be getting close<\/a> to its release. And just in time, with the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act<\/a> which includes big incentives for commercial electric vehicles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Up until recently, Tesla was taking $20,000 reservations<\/a> for the upcoming electric semi, but as of today, the \u201creserve now\u201d button has been removed from its website<\/a> and replaced with a \u201cget updates<\/a>\u201d button.<\/p>\n

In addition, some specs have been clarified. Tesla still says the truck will be capable of 0-60 in 20 seconds and have 300 or 500 mile battery options with a consumption of under 2kWh per mile \u2013 all while fully loaded to its 82,000lb capacity.<\/p>\n

We also previously just had one static interior photo, while now we have a short video render of the interior:<\/p>\n

The site now says that the Tesla Semi will have three independent motors (instead of four) and be capable of regaining 70% charge in 30 minutes (which would be 350 miles on a 500 mile battery) when attached to a \u201cTesla Semi Charger.\u201d And we\u2019ve got a new video of a Tesla Semi pulling up and plugging into one of these chargers installed at Tesla\u2019s Gigafactory Nevada<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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In previous iterations, the Tesla Semi prototype has used a set of \u201cextension cords\u201d<\/a> to combine the power of multiple Supercharger stalls into one. This new Megacharger installation could be an evolution of that idea \u2013 5 ports combined together into one big charge cord.<\/p>\n

The box in the photo has 5 ports labeled 480V\/400A. Multiplying this out, we get 192kW. If we assume each of the 5 ports provide the same wattage, we get a combined wattage of 960kW \u2013 almost a megawatt.<\/p>\n

We originally assumed the Semi would need more than 1MW of power to charge at the rates Tesla claims it will charge at, so one megawatt is a little less than we originally expected.<\/p>\n

If the truck can get 500 miles at 2kWh\/mi, that means it would have a 1MWh battery, and to charge to 70% of range (700kWh) in 30 minutes, you\u2019d need a 1.4MW average charge rate from 0-80%. Which means peak charging rate would need to be higher than 1.4MW, because charging speeds usually taper off at higher states of charge.<\/p>\n

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However, Tesla says consumption is less than<\/em> 2kWh\/mi, and these numbers would work out if consumption is significantly less than that number \u2013 around 1.5kWh\/mi, suggesting a 750kWh battery.<\/p>\n

For comparison, Rivian and Lightning trucks consume somewhere around 1kWh\/mile<\/a> when towing a large trailer, and they are much lighter and have less rolling resistance than the Tesla Semi. They might have a worse aerodynamic drag coefficient with trailer attached, but the Semi probably still pushes more air due to its larger frontal area. All told, 1.5kWh\/mi consumption would be quite a feat, and even 2kWh\/mi is exceptional.<\/p>\n

Alternately, the change in language could just be a recognition of the 300-mile battery. Does this mean the 300-mile battery can charge to 70% in 30 minutes, and the 500-mile will take longer? Or will they have different charge rates leading to similar charge time on a percent-per-minute basis (larger batteries can typically accept more power<\/a>, as long as the charger can provide enough)? Or, perhaps, Tesla is just being characteristically generous<\/em> in their estimates.<\/p>\n

So we still don\u2019t quite know battery size, charge rate or consumption, but we\u2019re getting in the ballpark.<\/p>\n

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Tesla is a member of the CharIN alliance, the industry association behind the CCS standard which is also working on a larger Megawatt Charging System<\/a> for commercial vehicles. CharIN is targeting a maximum rate of 3.75MW (3000A, 1250V) for their connector, which will see pilot use in 2023 but debuts fully in 2024. Initial stations will have Tesla-compatible 1MW chargers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Finally, Tesla\u2019s website originally stated the Tesla Semi would have a .36 Cd drag coefficient, but that stat is now missing. It could have to do with some changes in the design of the truck. The photo on the previous Semi site<\/a> and first unveiled prototypes<\/a> show fewer aerodynamic disturbances (more side skirting, less space between tractor and container, no side mirrors) than the most recent, more production-ready prototypes show, as we can see from a video in the background of Tesla\u2019s new site:<\/p>\n

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