Tesla’s all-electric Semi is undoubtedly the most awaited heavy truck offering in the US market. The leading American automaker promotes the Semi to only generate below 2 kWh/mile of energy consumption and enable a maximum driving range of 500 miles between chargers.
Intriguingly, recent spy photos revealed a certain model in China highly reflects the Tesla Semi’s appearance, the JAC e-truck.
Analyst @TychodeFeijter reported via X that some of the spy photos hint that the Tesla Semi clone’s cabin design also placed the driver seat at the center with another seat on each side.
More details about the JAC e-truck
The all-electric truck from Chinese automaker JAC is equipped with two 246kW electric motors that can support an 89 km per hour top speed.
It also features a swappable battery pack that can support a driving range of 350 km per charge.
Next-gen electric trucks can potentially get megawatt-hour battery packs that can support a 350 kW-1 MW charging speed as electrification continues to advance.
Therefore, 50 charging stalls at extensive truck depots would generate 17.5 MW-50 MW for truck stops and large fleet operators. Here is the computation to avoid confusion: 50 x 350 kW to 1 MW.)
It is worth noting that 50 MW is virtually comparable to a small town’s capacity. Therefore, 1,000 truck stops equate deploying new substations and necessary grid infrastructures for 1,000 new small towns.
In effect, it can present new business prospects for the industry players. Moreover, it can also generate new job positions to accelerate the economy.
Meanwhile, battery-swapping technology can offer a lower-cost alternative to expensive charging infrastructure development to support growing number of EVs.
Moreover, it also enables companies to provide battery leasing offers and energy as a service program.
Freight industry in the US
The US Government’s Freight Analysis revealed that 87% of the country’s truck freight tonnage shipment was less than 250 miles (400 km), the Department of Energy reported in 2021. Moreover, truck shipments reached almost 12 billion tonnes of freight in the same year.
The report further indicated that sub-100-mile shipments contributed 44% of the US’ overall tonnage. Meanwhile, 100 miles to 249 miles shipments held a 43% share. These shipment rates demonstrate that the freight industry is now transitioning to cleaner alternatives such as electric vehicles.
See Also:
- Will Tesla Semi’s Megachargers work with the Cybertruck?
- Tesla Semi’s real-world performance breaks expectations
- Tesla Semi to undergo independent testing to confirm actual performance
- A trip to PepsiCo’s Frito Lay facility unveils Tesla Semi specifications
- New revelations for Tesla Semi’s massive battery system
That said, it is no wonder why many companies have started penetrating the trucking industry. Considering its innovative technologies and attractive design, Tesla Semi has the strong potential to lead the key markets. Meanwhile, rivals like JAC can dominate its home market and other areas where Tesla may not be present.
