Tesla is hauling the truck along with the long-awaited Semi. The electric rig is said to have a fully charged towing range of 500 miles when equipped with the two larger battery packs available. If Elon Musk’s words are accurate, the Semi recently confirmed a towing 81,000 pound long-range running range.
Tesla’s boss said as much on Twitter – where he is also the boss – in a short post congratulating the team on hitting 500 miles. Details of the escape are unknown, apart from the truck traveling the distance fully loaded in tow.
According to Tesla’s website, the Semi has an estimated range of 500 miles and a combined gross weight of 82,000 pounds. Our friends in InsideEVs explain further that the Semi’s range is powered by a massive 1,000 kWh battery pack. A smaller 600-kWh battery is also offered, giving the truck a full-load range of around 300 miles between charges. Fast charging can recharge 70 percent of the total range in about 30 minutes. Based on Tesla’s data on filling versus diesel fuel consumption, the company estimates fuel savings of about $200,000 over three years.
It should be noted that the 500 mile range is based on highway speed at ground level. It’s not known exactly what terrain the Semi covered in recent tests, or how fast it was. Tesla says the truck can accelerate to 60 mph in 20 seconds on a full load, but truckers may be more interested in the Semi’s ability to achieve a five percent incline at highway speeds.
It’s been a long road for the Semi to reach production. It made its debut in 2017, alongside the new Tesla Roadster although things have definitely been a little rough for the auto industry since then. We’re still waiting for the new Roadster, but for the Semi, initial customer deliveries are expected to start in December.
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