Tesla has unveiled its first articulate electric lorry, with production due to start in the US at some point in 2019.
CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk said the Semi truck is capable of travelling 500 miles on an electric charge and went on to say that it will cost less than a diesel alternative after you take into consideration fuel savings, maintenance costs and other factors.
When speaking to Tesla fans in California, he said: “We’re confident that this is a product that’s better in every way from a feature standpoint,”
Tesla did not reveal the price of the vehicle but have said customers can put down a $5,000 (£3,778) deposit on a truck.
The Key Features
The truck will have an autopilot system, which is able to maintain a set speed or slow down accordingly when in traffic.
It will also have a system that automatically keeps the vehicle in its lane/
Tesla lorries will be able to travel in a convoy, autonomously following each other.
Tesla also revealed plans to create a global network of solar-powered “megachargers” that could get the trucks back up to 400 miles of range after only charging for half an hour.
Swannells Transport – Haulage Companies in Huntingdon
Other Announcements
Tesla also made a surprise announcement with an updated version of its first sports car, the Roadster. Teslas said the new edition will have 620 miles of range and a top speed of around 250 mph.
However, this won’t come cheaply, the Roadster will have a base price of $200,000 (£150,000) and won’t be available to buy until 2020.
Tesla has been manufacturing cars for more than a decade, and it has more recently starting making solar panels.
It is now looking to break into the haulage industry to helps its goal of shifting to sustainable transport.
CEO Elon Musk is involved in a number of other projects and announced plans he says could allow his SpaceX company to colonise Mars in September. He has also just launched a new company that is digging tunnels beneath Los Angeles to alleviate traffic congestion.
Swannells – Haulage Companies in Huntingdon
Thank you for reading the latest news from Swannells. For more information on any of our services, get in touch with us today.