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Five years ago, in 2017, Elon Musk unveiled the look and feel of Tesla’s autonomous truck dubbed the Tesla Semi.
Shortly after, press releases of companies like Pepsico, UPS, Walmart, Loblaws, and Budweiser brewer Anhesier had put down money for the Tesla Semis.
Although Elon Musk promised, the first deliveries would start in late 2019, it was not until last year December 2022.
This was a result of several factors, the main being supply chain constraints as per Tesla’s Q2 2021 earnings report.
Only PepsiCo received 100 Tesla Semis, while other companies expect their this year and forward.
Tesla Semi Introduction
In what Musk termed as the truck’s ‘‘badass’ performance, he emphasized the Tesla Semi he unveiled in 2017 was designed for safety and comfort.
In the presentations, Musk revealed truck specs, which we will cover below, but most importantly, he added; "Every truck we sell will have enhanced autopilot as standard.”
The autonomous capabilities enable the trucks to break and keep lanes. Additionally, several Tesla Semis can form a convoy on highways, in turn reducing further costs to the operators.
Specs
During the 2017 Tesla Semi presentation, Musk promised several features and capabilities that would be released beyond autopilot.
The autopilot capabilities come with features including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and more.
Other Tesla Semi specifications include:
Battery Range - Tesla Semi is available with two battery options - a 300-mile range and a 500-mile range.
Performance - Tesla's autonomous truck can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 20 seconds with a maximum gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds.
Powertrain - It’s powered by four independent electric motors mounted on the rear axles, providing unparalleled traction and control.
Design - The Tesla Semi features a futuristic design with a low center of gravity for increased stability and handling. It also has a spacious, ergonomic cab for improved driver comfort.
Charging - Tesla Semi can be charged at Tesla's Megacharger network, which can charge the truck's battery to a 400-mile range in just 30 minutes.
Safety - Tesla Semi is designed with safety in mind, featuring advanced systems such as collision avoidance and jackknife prevention.
PepsiCo’s Tesla Semi
The 100 pre-ordered Tesla autonomous trucks that were recently delivered to PepsiCo - the American beverage giant are already on the road.
In a recent interview with CNBC, Mike O’Connell, the VP of supply chain at Pepsi detailed the progress and usage of the Tesla Semi that they received.
“We have the 15 in Modesto that we’re launching ... and then we have 21 in Sacramento.”
For starters, the company is using Tesla Semi trucks to deliver Frito-Lay products from its Modesto, California, facility up to 425 miles on a single charge.
Additionally, some are being used to deliver Pepsi products around Sacramento, making several 100 miles to stores, warehouses, and back.
The objective of the beverage company is to reduce, its carbon emissions. With these autonomous trucks on the roads, the company has seen a 91% reduction in emissions that were previously caused by diesel trucks performing similar tasks.
Note: From the 2017 pre-orders, Anheuser-Busch placed an order of 40 Tesla Semis. The price of the truck is public yet but estimates indicate it can cost up to $180, 000.
Autonomous Trucking Market Size
The self-driving trucking market is estimated to hit $2.034 billion by 2027 according to Globe Newswire.
From the research, its clear North America is leading the charge for a couple of reasons:
High shortage of truckers
Increased concern for environmental emissions from diesel trucks.
Some notable rival start-ups and incumbents taking on Tesla Semi include the following:
Kodiak Robotics
TuSimple
PlusAI
AB Volvo
Waymo
Aurora
Daimler Truck
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The senior manager for engineering at Tesla Semi emphasized in the 2017 presentation that the goal for Tesla Semi is to be as efficient before and after deliveries as possible.
“Really we’re trying to extend the idea of this efficiency from not just while you’re on the road, but into the yard, as well. So before and after the truck has done its job on the road,”
In a subreddit thread as per Telsarati, the driver of the newly rebranded Tesla Semi with Pepso logos noted that aside from being his first time driving a Class 8 fully electric truck, he was impressed by the Semi’s smooth ride.
As the 100 Tesla Semi delivers Pepsi products in the California region, we wait for more insights on performance, software upgrades, and order fulfillment for other companies like Walmart and UPS.
To more tech in logistics,
Okerosi.