Tesla has always used lidar to calibrate autopilot and FSD. This is one valid use-case for lidar. Hinrichs Zanegler has published videos of the Tesla Semi starting robotrucking tests.
The prototype production is scaling up as Zanegler shows pictures of 23 Tesla Semis parked together. Tesla is scaling up to a few hundred serial production of the Tesla Semi.
Tesla is building the main Tesla Semi factory in Nevada which will be able to make 50,000 Tesla Semi each year.
Tesla Semi replacing the driver and enabling platooning (automatically following a truck with a human driver) would remove the $60,000-120,000 cost of the human driver. The Tesla Semi electricity costs are about 70-80% less than the cost of diesel.
Tesla Semi Testing FSD / Autopilot?
This Engineering Tesla Semi with sensors that likely include lidar was spotted near Giga Nevada.
Is this semi driving itself or just gathering data? 📊 pic.twitter.com/y6jh5r6jGV
— Zanegler (@HinrichsZane) August 24, 2024
Another look at the test-bed Tesla semi. pic.twitter.com/GKnaIYUJFw
— Zanegler (@HinrichsZane) August 25, 2024
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As fleets electrify and energy storage costs plummet, solar and wind charging will transform the industry. Major distribution centers and transport companies will soon seize the chance to slash fuel expenses and boost profits by generating their own electricity to power their trucks. Labor savings from automation and FSD will further impact the transport industry.
The sad truth is that Tesla FSD is not going well. A look at http://www.teslafsdtracker.com shows that miles between interventions has flatlined at about 40 miles per intervention for the last 6 months or so. That’s an awful long time for something that was supposed to be at thousands of miles between interventions by now.
So the autonomous part of the semi is not there.
Diesel trucks are about 7-8mpg. In most of the US, that’s like 50c/mi.
Tesla trucks use about 2kWh/mi.
If you are driving long distances, you are charging at superchargers. Tesla charges about 25c/kWh at superchargers.
So 50c/mi of electricity.
There are lots of benefits for Semi. Savings on fuel aren’t there yet.
Before claiming that Semi are more efficient, consider that the data you’ve seen is from California where the statewide speed limit for trucks is 55mph. No other state has such a low limit.
The 1.6kWh/mi or whatever you have seen becomes 2kWh/mi or higher at the higher speeds in most of the country where most freight truck miles occur.
Tesla Semi won’t be used for long haul with charging at Superchargers by any significant number of customers until long after it’s been in mass production for awhile and numbers are different. There is more than enough demand from customers just doing daily milk run routes and recharging back at the same facility every night for years. In this case charging costs overnight are lower.
The energy costs are lower, but somebody has to pay for the charger.
DCFCs cost tens of thousands of dollars for the equipment and also have installation costs.
I used supercharger costs because all of that is rolling into the charging fee.