Tesla is trucking with its long-awaited Semi. The electric rig is said to have a fully charged towing range of 500 miles when fitted with the larger of the two battery packs available. If Elon Musk’s words are correct, the Semi recently confirmed range in a long-distance race pulling 81,000 pounds.
The Tesla boss said so on Twitter – where he’s also the boss – in a short message congratulating the team on reaching 500 miles. Details of the race are unknown, other than the truck covering the distance with a full load in tow.
According to Tesla’s website, the Semi has an estimated range of 500 miles with a gross combined weight of 82,000 pounds. Our friends from Inside electric vehicles further explain that the range of the Semi is powered by a massive 1,000 kWh battery. A smaller 600kWh battery is also offered, giving the truck a fully charged range of around 300 miles between charges. A quick charge can restore 70% of full range in about 30 minutes. Based on Tesla’s data for charging versus diesel fuel consumption, the company estimates about $200,000 in fuel savings over three years.
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It should be noted that the 500 mile range is based on highway speeds on level ground. It’s unclear exactly what ground the Semi covered in this recent test, or how fast it was going. Tesla says the truck can accelerate to 60 mph in 20 seconds with a full charge, but truckers might be more interested in the Semi’s ability to hit 5% grades at highway speeds.
It’s been a long road for the Semi to reach production. It debuted in 2017, with the new Tesla Roadster, although obviously things have been a little tough for the auto industry since then. We are still waiting for the new Roadster, but for the Semi, the first deliveries to customers should start in December.
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