When the truck was unveiled to much fanfare in 2017 (I was there for that interesting event), Musk said the Semi would enter production sometime in 2019. Now, the somewhat fuzzy timeline for the truck\u2019s launch is sometime next year.<\/p>\n
For some context, consider that elsewhere, electric truck debuts are happening left and right. As I write this, on August 12, Volvo President Peter Voorhoeve is appearing on CNN, BBC, and other news outlets touting the coast-to-coast rollout of the new VNR electric Class 8 trucks. And that is to say nothing of Daimler Trucks North America, which has had similar successes rolling out its eCascadia Class 8 models. Peterbilt\u2019s Model 579e, which is available for order, was in the nation\u2019s capital last week.<\/p>\n Other truck makers are getting battery-electric trucks in the hands of fleets. Photo: CNN Screen Capture<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n From the outside looking in, I\u2019ve got a couple of educated guesses.<\/p>\n The first likelihood, in my opinion, is that Tesla over-promised on the Semi\u2019s projected 500-mile daily range on a single battery charge. Optimism and an unshakable faith in the ability of technology to overcome problems is a cornerstone both for Musk and the company he founded. I\u2019m guessing the company was banking on some major battery technology breakthroughs in terms of energy density and capacity that simply haven\u2019t happened yet. And who knows? Maybe the battery wizards are close to that elusive breakthrough, and the extra time will be all they need to make the Semi live up to Musk\u2019s initial performance promises.<\/p>\n Another possibility that\u2019s occurred to me is durability issues with the Semi. Is this truck, despite all its vaunted new electric technology, tough enough to handle daily life in brutal Class 8 long-haul applications?<\/p>\n At the Semi launch in Hawthorne, California, back in the Fall of 2017, trucking journalists were given a rather brief, close-up look at the Semi truck prototypes. I remember being struck by the powertrain arrangement on the vehicle. The truck was (and presumably still is) powered by three Tesla Type S automotive electric motors that were married together and mounted laterally on the truck\u2019s frame rails behind the cab.<\/p>\n And that struck me as odd.<\/p>\n Trucks aren\u2019t simply scaled-up cars, as more than one manufacturer has discovered to its chagrin over the past century. And I remember wondering if those automotive motors would be able to handle the shock, vibration, dirt, dust, grime and water associated with Class 8 trucking. It just seemed to me that a single, larger, purpose-built, truck-optimized electric motor would be a better choice. And that such a choice would be obvious to a truck OEM with decades of experience working with fleets.<\/p>\n Neither of these two scenarios are fatal, of course. As I said from the outset, I wouldn\u2019t advise betting against Musk or his team at Tesla. But for now, we\u2019ll have to wait another year or so before we learn when and if the Semi will hit the road.<\/p>\n Senior Contributing Editor<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As HDT’s Senior Contributing Editor Jack Roberts has become known for his reporting on advanced technology, such as intelligent drivetrains and autonomous vehicles. A commercial driver\u2019s license holder, he also does test drives of new equipment and covers topics such as maintenance, fuel economy, vocational and medium-duty trucks and tires.<\/p>\n View Bio<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n <\/p>\n![\"Other](\"https:\/\/fleetimages.bobitstudios.com\/upload\/trucking-info\/content\/blogpost\/2021-08\/volvocnn-screenshot-__-720x516-s.jpg\")
So, what\u2019s going on with the Tesla Semi? Why all the delays?<\/h2>\n
![\"Jack](\"https:\/\/fleetimages.bobitstudios.com\/upload\/authors\/jackroberts-100.jpg\")
Jack Roberts<\/a><\/h5>\n
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