The long-distance lorry that runs on electricity
THE world’s first all-electric HGV has been developed – which makers Tesla claim is so cheap to run it will make using diesel ‘economic suicide’.
The Semi will hit 60mph in five seconds – or 20 seconds while pulling a 40-ton load, and will have a range of 500 miles.
It recycles energy from braking, which Tesla’s billionaire founder Elon Musk said made the brakes ‘last for ever’. The truck itself is said to be so reliable that the firm guarantees it will not break down for one million miles.
It includes autopilot technology that automatically applies the brakes in an emergency, keeps the vehicle in lane as it slows to a halt, and calls the emergency services. Mr Musk said: ‘It’s not just economic suicide to use one diesel truck, it’s economic suicide for rail.’
But battery specialists have cast doubt over whether Tesla can produce a powerful enough device at a reasonable price. A recent study by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh said a battery pack capable of powering a lorry for 300 miles would cost around £150,000.
Tesla also claims the era of the gas-guzzling supercar is numbered after it announced it was making an electric sports car with a top speed of more than 250mph. Its acceleration of 060mph in 1.9 seconds is the quickest ever for a road car. Mr Musk said the Roadster, a convertible four-seater, would be the fastest production car ever made. It has a lot to live up to.
The title holder is the £1.5million Koenigsegg Agera RS, which hit a record 285mph this month. By comparison, Mr Musk said the Roadster would cost just £150,000. Mr Musk, who co-founded Pay Pal and also runs a space travel company, is renowned for making bold claims. But he insisted he was not exaggerating the car’s performance, adding: ‘These numbers sound nutty but they’re real.’ The Roadster, which will go on sale in the US in 2020, is expected to have a range of 620 miles – more than twice as much as the cars on the market now with the biggest ranges.
‘Autopilot keeps it in lane’