Tesla Electric Truck: 30 Minutes Charge, 640 Kilometers Range

With the unveiling of Tesla's electric truck, which can travel 850 kilometers on a single charge, one of the biggest leaps in the trucking industry in the last 100 years has likely occurred. This truck can be considered the fastest production truck in the world, as it accelerates from 0 to 100 kilometers in just 5 seconds without a trailer; however, when a 36-ton trailer is attached, this acceleration decreases to about 20 seconds. The truck, named Semi, can travel at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour on inclined roads. This product can travel up to a radius of 800 kilometers on highways while maintaining the specified speed with each charge. The range of the Semi, as an electric truck, exceeds that of diesel trucks on a single refueling. Significant attention has been given to aerodynamics in this truck to enhance efficiency, achieving coefficients better than many super sports cars. Efforts have also been made to improve charging time, allowing the truck to travel 640 kilometers with a 30-minute charge. The driver's seat is centrally located in the Semi's cabin, with two touch screens on either side of the steering wheel for controlling various vehicle functions. Cameras installed around the truck ensure that the driver does not have to worry about blind spots. Like other Tesla vehicles, the Semi will come equipped with numerous safety and assistive systems, including a fourth-generation autopilot system. Tesla has announced that the fuel savings for this vehicle are substantial, with every 1.6 million kilometers driven resulting in a $200,000 savings in refueling costs. According to Tesla, production of the Semi began in 2019, and enthusiasts can currently reserve a Semi truck by paying $5,000. Tesla's electric vehicles have recently shaken up the automotive industry, pushing some traditionally conservative automakers like Mercedes-Benz to adopt electric motors. Alongside Tesla, Toyota also has an ambitious plan to build fuel cell trucks. This truck will use two fuel cell units, a system previously utilized in Toyota's fuel cell passenger model, the Toyota Mirai. In these trucks, hydrogen moves toward the fuel cell unit, where it mixes with oxygen from the air, producing water and electricity as a result of this reaction. The electricity is used by the electric motor to propel the truck, and water is expelled from the truck's exhaust. In addition to Tesla and Toyota, Hyundai also has a plan for a fully electric bus that does not require high-voltage power lines. The company recently introduced the electric bus Alak City, which can travel 467 kilometers on a full charge. Currently, most buses worldwide use diesel fuel, which contributes to nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide emissions, making it one of the main pollutants in major cities around the world. For this reason, some major companies are seeking to produce electric or fuel cell buses instead of diesel buses. If projects like Hyundai's electric bus or Tesla's electric truck come to fruition, we should expect a significant transformation in road transportation over the next decade.