Tesla unveils it’s electric Semi truck and a new Roadster

Tesla has officially announced their all-electric semi-truck, simply called the Tesla Semi along with a brand-new Tesla Roadster.

Tesla Semi

The Tesla Semi can go from 0-60 mph in just five seconds when not attached to a trailer. When it does have a full 80,000-pound load, it can do 0-60 in 20 seconds. The truck can climb 5% grades at  steady 65 mph while standard diesel trucks max out at 45 mph.

Since the Tesla Semi is all-electric, there is not need for shifting or clutching for smooth acceleration and deceleration and regenerative braking can help recover 98% of kinetic energy back to the battery.

As for range of the Tesla Semi, it can go up to 500 miles while consuming less than two kilowatt-hours of energy per mile. The design of the Tesla Semi is very reminiscent of Tesla’s other vehicles such as the Model 3.

Tesla says the cabin in the Semi is made for drivers in mind, its easy to get in and out of the truck and the stairs are unobstructed. The Semi’s cabin has full standing room inside and the driving position is centered to optimal visibility. There is also two touchscreen displays that are on either side of the driver, which can provide the driver with easy access to navigation, blind spot monitoring and electronic data logs.

The truck comes equipped with built-in connectivity, so then drivers can connect to a fleet’s management system to support routing, scheduling and remote monitoring.

Like previous Tesla vehicles, the Semi has the company’s Enhanced Autopilot system which features Automatic Emergency Braking, Automatic Lane Keeping, Lane Departure Warning and event recording.

Tesla will also be implementing Megachargers, which is a new high-speed DC charging station that can add 400 miles to the Semi in about 30 minutes.

The Tesla Semi is also able to travel in a convoy where one or more Semi trucks will be able to autonomously follow a lead Semi.

The Tesla Semi will start production in 2019 and reservations can be made for $26,000 CAD ($20,000 USD) per truck. The 300-mile range Semi will start at $150,000 USD while the 500-mile range version Semi will start at $180,000 USD.

New Tesla Roadster

Tesla also announced an all-new version of their sports car. The new Tesla Roadster is “the fastest production car ever made” according to Elon Musk. The car is capable of achieving 0-60 mph in just 1.9 seconds and 0-100 mph in 4.2 seconds.

The base model of the new Tesla Roadster has a top speed of 250 mph and a 200 kWh battery that has a range of 620 miles on the highway. The new Roadster has a lightweight, removable glass roof to make it into a convertible.

The car has a 2 by 2 seat configuration and will go on sale in 2020.

It will start at $200,000 USD, the first 1,000, will be sold as the Founders Series models which will go for $250,000 USD. Reservations for the new Tesla Roadster cost $50,000 USD for the standard version and you’ll have to pay the full $250,000 USD to reserve the Founders Series.

Source: Tesla, (2)