---
title: 'Jay Leno Drives the 500-Mile Tesla Semi: The Death of Diesel?'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=BCXSq1dmEB8'
video_id: 'BCXSq1dmEB8'
date: 2026-07-28
channel: 'Jay Leno''s Garage'
---

# Jay Leno Drives the 500-Mile Tesla Semi: The Death of Diesel?

> Source: [Jay Leno Drives the 500-Mile Tesla Semi: The Death of Diesel?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=BCXSq1dmEB8)

## Summary

Jay Leno takes the Tesla Semi for a test drive, exploring its design, performance, and economic advantages over diesel trucks. The video highlights the Semi's aerodynamic efficiency, 500-mile range, and 50% lower operating costs, positioning it as a game-changer for the trucking industry.

### Key Points

- **Aerodynamic Design** [00:02] — The Tesla Semi features a center driver position, rounder front face, and narrower upper cab to reduce drag. The drag coefficient is about 0.4, with a 7% improvement over the original prototype.
- **Weight and Charging** [00:18] — The 500-mile version weighs about the same as a diesel truck due to a 2,000-lb EV weight exemption. It can charge at 1.2 MW, recovering 60% range in 30 minutes.
- **Cost Savings** [00:32] — On a per-mile basis, the Tesla Semi is 50% cheaper to run in California compared to diesel trucks.
- **Aerodynamic Efficiency** [03:00] — The Semi's drag coefficient is lower than a Bugatti Veyron. The bullet-shaped nose and narrow cab improve airflow to the trailer.
- **Driver Feedback** [05:01] — Drivers appreciate the quiet, smooth ride and good visibility. Skeptical drivers quickly become fans after experiencing the benefits.
- **Independent Owner-Operators** [06:47] — The Semi is available to independent truckers, who benefit from stable electric prices and Tesla's expanding mega charging network.
- **Tires and Weight** [09:10] — The Semi uses standard truck tires, though low rolling resistance tires are recommended. The truck is about 1,000 lb lighter than diesel counterparts, achieving payload parity.
- **Regenerative Braking** [10:49] — Full regenerative braking allows the Semi to descend steep grades without touching the brakes, providing finer control than diesel trucks.
- **Real-World Testing** [11:57] — A fleet of a few hundred Semis has driven over 13.5 million miles, with 95% uptime and 75-80% of repairs completed within 24 hours.
- **Charging Time** [14:38] — A 500-mile charge takes 30 minutes for 60% (300 miles), aligning with mandatory driver breaks.
- **Engineering Improvements** [16:11] — The Semi now features fully electric power steering (from Cybertruck), 48-volt architecture, and updated communications for high-volume production.
- **Battery Technology** [17:06] — The Semi uses lithium-ion cells from the Cybertruck, arranged in a dense pack integrated into the chassis. The battery is designed to last a million miles.
- **Standard Range Model** [19:45] — A 325-mile version is available for shorter routes, with the same drivetrain and capability but lighter and more maneuverable.
- **Cold Weather Performance** [21:10] — The Semi performs well in cold climates (tested in Alaska) thanks to a heat pump that efficiently manages thermal energy, minimizing range loss.
- **Electric Refrigeration** [24:14] — The Semi can power refrigerated trailers using Cybertruck-derived power electronics, eliminating the need for diesel generators.
- **Two-Speed vs. Single-Speed** [29:11] — The Semi uses two axles: one geared for torque (acceleration/hill climb) and one for efficiency (highway). The torque axle disengages at speed to reduce drag.
- **Total Cost of Ownership** [33:23] — The Semi is nearly 20% cheaper per mile across the US, including energy and maintenance, making it economically compelling.
- **Production Plans** [38:43] — Tesla is opening a factory near Reno, Nevada, capable of producing 50,000 Semis per year, with plans to expand to Europe.
- **Driver Comfort and Safety** [41:35] — The Semi features memory seats, electric seatbelt retractors, and a comfortable cabin. The steering radius is comparable to a Model 3.
- **Impact on Trucking** [45:45] — Heavy trucks are only 1% of vehicles but consume 16-18% of fuel. Electrifying them can significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

### Conclusion

The Tesla Semi offers a compelling alternative to diesel trucks with lower operating costs, advanced aerodynamics, and driver-friendly features. With production scaling in 2024, it is poised to disrupt the heavy trucking industry.

## Transcript

long-range 500-mile model. Putting the driver in the middle of the cab so we could actually have rounder front face and narrower upper portion of the cab air. >> We cut about 1,000 lb out of the truck.
And this long-range truck, the 500-mile version, is about on par and in part because it's got a 2,000-lb weight exemption that electric vehicles have. This truck can charge at 1.2 MW so we can recover about 60% in 30 minutes. The
ready, we have the factory standing up, but we have ample demand. On a per-mile but we have ample demand. On a per-mile basis, this truck is 50% cheaper to run basis, this truck is 50% cheaper to run here in California.
Garage. We're outside my garage today because the vehicle we're going to be showing you is too big to fit inside. Uh this is the new Tesla Semi. This is the long-range 500-mile model. We have a smaller model with us today. With us is
Franz. You know him. He's the director of styling at at Tesla. And Dan, the semi director, right? The whole project. Come on in, guys. How are you? you Great to see you. Yeah, yeah, very cool. I'm sorry about all the noise with
the We're at the airport so we're going to hear some planes in the background. Uh well, let's talk about design. I As a designer, you designed everything in the whole Tesla range. The sports cars, the sedans, and the semi as well.
The idea that something looks aerodynamic is not really aerodynamic, is it? Aerodynamics is a totally different thing than what people think. Well, on something like this, it's really important to get
aerodynamics and the drag coefficient as low as possible. And we thought about that from the very beginning and made some really unique architectural design ideas like putting the driver in the middle of the cab so
we could actually have rounder front face and narrower upper portion of the the air right as we get back to the trailer. And And you know, if you remember when we debuted this semi um years back Oh, this trailer? Yeah.
you'll you'll feel it when it hooks up. Keep going. Keep going. There we go.
even feel like I'm pulling anything. Yeah. It's amazing. Yeah, we're pushing a good load back there. 60, 70,000 lbs gross vehicle weight and you're not feeling it. We got to make Albuquerque by morning.
lower than a Bugatti Veyron. Right. And we've through those years we've actually improved on that and And what is it now? From the last time we saw you, it's a 7% improvement on the aero efficiency from four. So, it's the the CD is about .4.
About .4, okay. But cuz I remember when this sort of cab with the I don't know what you call this top piece there, when they put that on gas powered and diesel powered truck, truckers thought it was ugly. They hated
improvement. >> think about it, you're trying to move a big box through the air. And so, the more bullet-shaped nose you can put on you're going >> Well, it's funny cuz what we think of
Countach, people think that they're It's a brick. It's It's worse than a is it's like an upside down wing, right? So, at least it's got to stick to the ground. It's not aerodynamic at all. And And what is aerodynamic is so much
different. A Prius for example aerodynamic. And this is it's really >> The architecture of the truck is really designed around that. So, if you think about a traditional truck has a big motor in the front, transmission down
the middle, you have to sit on the side and therefore you end up being a really wide cabin. We didn't have any of that. You know, the battery's down low, it's driver anywhere. So, we thought let's put him in the middle, really create a
narrow cab that you know, slowly widens out bullet shape back to the trailer and really maximize aeroefficiency. When if you kind of if you're to go back and look at what how can you put a more aeroefficient nose on the front of a
>> it's hard to get more aeroefficient than than this truck. Well, Dan, let me ask you, you're the director here. Is your job to convince I mean, there's no more old school than truckers. I there trucks have looked the same since 1918. The
where they had Corvair truck with the engine in the back and that was just what? So, I mean, people just rebelled. Even when they did the Ford F-150 lightning, they had trucker door handles and you know, manly things and no
mean, you're really trying to change a whole culture with this, aren't you? >> Yeah, yeah. And we spent a lot of time interviewing drivers, listening to them, unveiled the original one, but then in the last few years we've collected a lot
that have spent time in the truck. And they really appreciate the electric design because it's quiet, it's smooth, it's a really good place to work. They're spending half a day at a time in the truck. And so, it's a really
just the thing they're moving down the road. And so, we wanted to make it good visibility. You're right that sometimes we get some skeptical drivers, all the benefits, they come around really quickly and that's the theme that
we continue to see over and over. >> Yeah, what's the most surprising thing? You talk to some guys and oh, they do yoga on the road. You don't expect truckers to be doing yoga, you know, but because it it it helps them in their job
because they're sitting all day. I mean, was there feedback where you went, "Oh all." Or was it pretty much what you thought? There are two pieces to it. On the operational side, folks are really happy with the range and the performance
of the truck. We're starting to get away from the misconceptions that electric is duty side for years, but now for the truck side, it's got the range, it has the power and the efficiency to do their job. So, it enables their job and that's
the bare minimum requirement. They're really satisfied with how that has gone. And now it's about what's the experience and the feedback there has been stellar. Again, it's quiet, they love the seat, it's really smooth. So, just the power
delivery and how easy it is to drive is another thing that has been a nice start. >> Is this a kind of vehicle an independent trucker could buy for himself or is it just mostly fleet sales, you know, FedEx
an independent trucker, their big thing is fuel cost. Like now they're going crazy because fuel is up 10 cents a gallon, 15 cents a gallon. That's their whole profit when you're using 3,000 gallons of fuel, you know. Can an
independent buy this and use it as an independent trucker? Yeah, absolutely. And we actually have seen a large surge in interest from smaller regional fleets along with independent owner-operators. And that's because one, electric prices
are more stable. They're less likely to have those fluctuations that diesel prices do. So, it gives them some assurance. Secondly, we've been really public about our intent to put charging out into the world. So, we're launching
a mega charging network for the semi so that there's charging beyond what might be where the truck is parked overnight. And also we have service to go along centers and we have charging stations down here in the Los Angeles area. So,
world, those independent drivers have confidence that they have the support they need to do their job. >> Yeah, I remember when Elon came in 2007 Oh, we're going to build this electric car. I'm going to have charging stations
all along the road like to San Francisco. I'm going, "Yeah, right." >> And you know, and really until recently even major manufacturers built electric >> Oh, you can charge anywhere. Well, no, you can't, you know. I mean, you guys
the infrastructure as you were building the car, which I just thought was pretty amazing. I mean, you It's hard doing it you you're convinced it's going to be so
Yeah, I think that's great. >> Well, I think it also helps people feel convinced about the product, right? Knowing that there's a service center. They If there's an issue, they can go somewhere, that they can charge it if
charge anywhere. They can go You can go cross-country right at right at the beginning. So, that ease of mind like the range anxiety goes away, right? You now you can go anywhere just like >> Yeah, the odd thing to me is that
like one, but I'm a Republican. >> What What I I I don't I don't get why it's political. It's electricity. It And to me, I have gas and electric. I have both. And when I go to the airport
I have to take a long I take the electric cuz sitting on the 405 in a 66 >> [laughter] >> Yeah. It's not fun and it's a lot of money. Let's talk about tires. If Do
you use ordinary truck tires or do you have to buy special Tesla low rolling there's nothing special or unique that's for this truck. So, we can use recommended set that help you extend your range because
>> the rolling resistance is a large piece of it, but you can put any set of tires >> Does this weigh more than the equivalent gasoline truck? here we cut about 1,000 lb out of the truck. And this long-range truck, the
500-mile version, is about on par and in part because it's got a 2,000-lb weight exemption that electric vehicles have. So, payload parity is very possible for customers is they usually like to haul about a 45,000-lb payload, and we can
out doing it every day. The standard range, which we'll see later, is even to slot into basically any weight >> Well, the thing that amazed me was the Cybertruck
is 2 tons lighter than the Hummer. Yeah. The electric. assume they'd be about the same. Batteries are batteries, but they're not. You're You're really making a low >> the battery size in the Cybertruck is
half that of the one in in the Hummer. >> But the equivalent Reduced Yeah, yeah. And touching back on the aerodynamics, part of why it's so important is that if we want to do a certain amount of range in the day, 500
amount of energy to do it. If you make the truck more aerodynamic, that's less battery on board, lighter truck, more payload you can carry. There's a really great compounding effect there. And this does this regen also as it goes down the
>> Yeah, that's right. So, we've got full capability for regen to go down steep control. So, whether that's like Grapevine, which you've got here passes, you can descend those comfortably and never touch the brakes.
We've got ample power both to take you up the grade and down the grade in without ever uh changing from the speed limit. So, you're never a dog in the you. And going down, you never have to touch the brakes. So, it's
right? >> Yeah, cuz yeah, diesel trucks Exactly, yeah. But much finer control, and cruise control will keep you at that >> Well, it's interesting because you guys were here 2 years ago with this.
couple of thousand? A couple We made a of them. But I I just like it's just a quiet rollout. Just see how it goes. I wonder why isn't there more publicity on this? But it's sort of just R&D, isn't
it, the whole time? Well, it's a Yeah, it's also about exposing it to our And they've got a lot of feedback and that's why now we feel is the time for scale. The economics are right. The product is ready. We have the factory
standing up. But we have ample demand and the fleet that's been out there, now with a few hundred trucks, has driven more than 13 and 1/2 million miles. You 440,000. They're out running really hard every
day doing good work. These aren't just demo show trucks. So, there's a lot of >> And your maintenance is no oil change, obviously. There's no brake fluid, maybe? No, cuz these are air brakes. So, yeah, maintenance on them is really low
and the service team has been exceptional with our The fleet time is exceptional with our The fleet time is usually up 95% uptime. Almost 75-80% of returned back to the customer in less than 24 hours. And it's actually almost
hour. So, we're right there with rapid response. And we've designed the truck to be easy to maintain because the truck makes you money. So, even if you're a to get that truck and that tool back on the road. And what is the most common
breakdown? I mean, electric motors don't really require any maintenance at all, do they? Or any No, the the drivetrain is extremely reliable, whether it's the battery pack itself or the motors. Those are the extremely reliable components.
and get a lot of stuff thrown at them. And so, we do have the occasional wear out issue. You can get some lines rubbing, for example. We've taken all those learnings and fed them back into the updated high-volume design we've got
here today. And the level of engineering has really upped that and improved the >> And this can drive all night because there's no A driver doesn't have to stop get his wife to drive the other half. You know those teams that do it. So,
that's an advantage, isn't it, if it's autonomous? Yeah, so we as a company really believe in autonomy and autonomy has an opportunity to increase not just a huge amount of safety. And that's really where we're coming with a lot of
it's safety both for the driver that's operating at start, but also for lot of sensors, we use the cameras on board to ensure the vehicle knows its integrated software that Tesla's been developing to keep the vehicle in
control. And it's really about safety is our primary goal there. Let's say you're going to Salina, Kansas. You get your 500 miles. You pull into a Is it Is it like an airplane coming in? Does Does someone
see a Tesla truck coming in for refuel or recharge? How does that work? Is it I would plug it in, for example, but we also see an opportunity for doing
well. Oh, I see. Yeah, something we're working on with the cars, so. Oh, it Yep. I guess like a thing you drive over. cool. >> Yeah, conductive charge. Okay, I How How
long does a 500-mile charge take? So, this truck can charge at 1.2 megawatts. And so, we can recover about 60% in 30 minutes. Wow, 30 minutes. Yeah, so what the idea is there if with
a 500-mile charge, driver can go out and do their day. Now, for some areas, 500 miles is ample for your entire operation. But let's just say you need to stop and charge. You do that during your mandatory 30-minute break, and you
can recover up to 300 miles of additional range to extend your day. So, it really covers a huge majority of the envelope of truck operations within a penalty for charging. You're never stopping exclusively for charging.
>> Yeah. Yeah, that's pretty pretty amazing. It's really impressive. And we talked little bit about the architecture and still we sticking with the center driver. Dan talked about how the interior cabin is actually the office
for the for the operator. And when you go inside you'll see you can actually stand up. You can have multiple people in that space that would be the same only have the ability to sit in your seat. So a lot more flexible space on
the inside but in the in the front end of the of the truck we we updated the the graphics. The we have a much more modern light bar now that we didn't have on the previous version. Similar to Cybertruck and Cybercab. So really kind
of pushing this new design direction. It It feels more modern I think and we've working on the aerodynamics of the truck and just improving improving improving. So there's a lot of the general shape of the truck looks the same. We've made a
lot of engineering improvements since the last time we were here and it's been mostly in the name of moving towards high volume so that's updated designs for high manufacturability and tooling but also we've taken a lot of the
engineering from other products and brought it into the semi. We've gone hydraulic assist to now it's a fully electric assist. Okay. So it's still a connected system. It's not steer by wire but we've brought over the Cybertruck
because of the steering loads but we've brought that over. It's a 48 volt architecture now throughout the vehicle on low voltage. Yep. So we still do accessories that that a driver might need for example but we've brought that
architecture that Cybertruck debuted with because it's just more efficient and it's a lot less mass and wiring harnesses. We've updated communications. There's been a huge uptick in the engineering to bring this truck really
the products are that we have. >> And are these lithium the lithium ion batteries or even something more advanced than that? Lithium ion. So this is lithium ion and we're leveraging the same cell type that we use in the
Cybertruck. It's arranged in a different array within the truck, but it's all to the ground, so it keeps center of gravity low. It's integrated really densely with the overall chassis to maximize structural performance and keep
of the same lessons from the car side including the cell itself into the >> And how how rebuildable are these I mean, lithium-ion do the battery last the life of the vehicle or is it you
say you need a new battery pack? >> The battery is designed to last a million miles. You will see some degradation over time, but if we see that it can last in its original duty cycle a million miles. Well, you know
what's interesting I have that McLaren P1. And that has a hybrid system. And my battery is 12 years old and it's 92% still because I keep it on a charger. I know other guys are on their third battery because
and they come back and things are dead and then they've got [snorts] to Yeah, yeah, that's what that's what it is. So, if you have a vehicle like this, is it better to keep it on the charger all the time? Well, the best thing to do
time because that's how it makes you money. So, the cells in the battery is it's a little bit more like one of our energy products like our Megapack or Powerwall on wheels. It is doing a lot of discharges. It does like one a day,
so it's up and down. It's not like a car where you might only be doing 10 or 20% you've got a cell in a battery that is designed for that throughput. You really want this on the road. The more energy throughput you are putting through the
have compared to if you were doing that work with diesel. So, it's really about >> thing that amazed me was I always wonder driving position cuz you can't have it in a car because there's no way for the
But trucks don't need airbags or any of Yeah, car regulations, yeah. I I never produced in the United States had to have an airbag, but trucks don't. Trucks
overall safety regulations. Like brakes testing for that, but there's no mandatory crash testing. There's no airbag requirement. Um even the advanced safety features are far behind what is
mandatory on the car side. Wow, scary place to work, right? Yeah, so we're we're really leaning into the safety side on this and trying to make it the occupant but also for everybody else around. Well, very cool. Now, this is,
It's a little bit bigger. We have a smaller one over here, right? And what's the range on that one? That one does about 325 mi on a single charge. city of Portland, LA, go to Right, exactly. Cuz it's so funny here in
California, you know. I used to think Disneyland was 120 mi [laughter] hours. It's 38 mi. But when you Google it, it's 2 and 1/2 hours. Or 3 hours. I go, "How can that be?" I just assumed it was 100 something miles
away. I went, "No, okay." So, that's that's the one we're going to drive, the let's go let's go check it out. Let's go check it out.
range model. I guess this panel is bigger on the other one, this part here. And I guess there's no driver's side. Either side you get >> middle like like the McLaren F1. >> Yeah, exactly.
Yeah, so that's new. The last truck that we had had a single pane and it would pop would tilt out and you'd have to, you know, pass clipboards through and go around. And we found that that was really, you know, not really convenient.
So, we worked on getting a drop glass. So, now you can pass through you can >> Oh, all right. Let's go check it >> the experience in in and out much Now, let me ask you something. Let's say I'm I need to go to Minnesota,
uh North Dakota. It's December. I mean, electric cars are somewhat notorious in electric cars are somewhat notorious in cold weather for mileage drops 20%, 30%. Is that a problem with this or how how is it different? We do a lot of
Actually, right now we have several trucks up in Alaska doing that. And so, temps as well as different types of snow and ice because it all builds up performs exceptionally well. Whether that's because it has instant traction
control from the benefit of electric motors, but also we've done a lot to incorporate a thermal system with our heat pump that's really efficient. And so, we can move thermal energy throughout the vehicle very quickly. We
can scavenge it from the outside. We can bring it from the battery pack or the motors that are working hard, put it in the cab. So, we can move thermal energy most optimal and efficient operating point. So, the range drop isn't nearly
do have it because we can't fight the fact the air is denser, the tires don't degradation, but you would see a similar effect on diesel trucks as well. Okay, effect on diesel trucks as well. Okay, so let's say I'm in Nome, Alaska. I I go
running all night, right? Because the heat pump keeps it circulating all the time. No, actually it does go idle and it's not running. Uh but, the battery pack actually retains a lot of mass in
part because of its shape. So, it's a cube as opposed to a pancake. So, it stays warm pretty much overnight even in extremely cold temperatures. So, it'll be ready for operation the next day. Now, I was I was always led to believe
Now, I was I was always led to believe about 74° Fahrenheit is about the optimum the best temperature for an electric battery. Is that Is that still true today or is that just an old thing? From an efficiency
standpoint, yeah about that. Like 20-30°C is about where we see peak But, the battery pack is independently controlled in terms of temperature and it's much happier to actually run at a slightly warmer temperature. You get
better performance, greater efficiency of energy in and out of the battery pack does a really good job of keeping it at its optimal performance temperature. So it like a diesel truck, it's a liquid cool battery system. Yeah, that's right.
So we brought up over a lot of the same component rate that we have from our passenger car side. So same compressor, same pumps, a lot of the same valves also that we have high volume and high reliability, but it's actually a really
elegant solution for moving this liquid this is just a standard automotive coolant throughout the system. >> non-water it's like a glycol water-based solution. Oh, it is
>> it's a mix. Okay, that's interesting. Okay. Well, very cool. How often do you change that? Every half a million miles or I guess Never. I guess you never do, huh? No, it's I mean it is serviceable. And so if you
coolant in it, you might need to top it off, but it's designed to have a system maintenance on. >> life of the car coolant pretty much, let me ask about you see a lot of the big food trucks and you're
transporting beef across the country, it's got to be frozen. It plugs into the electrical system in the diesel. Same thing here? Yeah, so on a traditional trailer they have an independent refrigerated unit that has
its own diesel pony motor on it to keep the refrigeration at the right temperature in the uh in the trailer. But for us it just it felt wrong. Like why do we have an electric truck that is then also pulling a diesel engine on the
back of it? It doesn't make sense. And also they're really noisy. Uh they actually consume a lot of fuel. They're not very efficient and so we said, let's see if we can power that off of the truck itself. So we're actually using
the same power electronics that we use from the Cybertruck that can power a >> Right. We've reconfigured those to power a refrigerated trailer unit, and so now the whole combination can be electric. And it doesn't just have to be
refrigerated units, it could be other electrical high-power accessories. So, example, for the entertainment industry, that could power it. It's meant to be a universal interface that folks can use as an electric power take-off, rather
than powering accessories off of an independent generator, or what they system off the truck. >> do I lose any of my 500-mi range with >> It is an additional energy draw, so that just goes into the modeling and
how does it work for you. But, we find fuel savings payback, because those small generators and engines are really >> Right. Okay. All right, very cool. Well, let's take it for a spin. Yeah, let's do
>> Now, Franz, I know you've got to go finish designing my uh Tesla Roadster, yes. I've been waiting for my Tesla Roadster. I'm the anticipation it seems to keep getting more exciting. It's got all
>> We won't disappoint. You'll you'll enjoy it. Enjoy your ride. You're in good hands with us. >> it goes. I can get in on either side.
side. >> Mhm.
Yep. That's it.
>> Yes. And I guess he's just using your iPhone for music or entertainment, right? Yeah, you can. We also have brought over a a of the infotainment from the car side. So, we have the same built-in
apps, but a lot of drivers do stream from their phone as well.
vehicle. >> Oh, is that right? Well, that's an >> Yeah. Well, I'm a big fan of the you know, anything that gives you alternatives to what you have
is good because you know, I mean, you look at this war going on in in Iran now. I mean, so you need alternative forms of transportation. Yeah, and thankfully electric really does insulate you from a lot of those
fluctuations and you can be entirely self-generating if you want putting charging on your site. You can be really in energy independent on your own. Do you guys investigate fusion at all? For the last 50 years, fusion is
was going to be the big one at some point. Yeah. I just wonder when it would get here. And it might get there. We like to say though that we do have a giant very reliable fusion reactor in the sky. That is the sun. Right.
energy. And that's going to continue to shine every day. So, let's harness that first. >> Yeah, right. I guess it's true. Yeah, problems. >> Exactly.
Plus there's a psychological effect like with the hydrogen car. The Hindenburg did not blow up. There's no hydrogen. It was cellulose paint, but people get it in their mind, you know. It's funny how rumors
Corvette. Mhm. Uh these one guy said to me, "These blow up, right?" I go, "No, they don't blow No, they don't blow up. It's air-cooled. It's not going to blow It's certainly easy enough to drive. Especially without a trailer, it
basically drives like one of our cars. Right. a big car. Very easy. It's a great experience. No shifting. about electrification, it's the torque response. They just make a truck driving
experience that much better. Does it make any difference to an electric motor how fast it's spinning? For example, uh if you put a two-speed rear end in this Yeah. and you get up above 60 and
then the RPM cuts in half, do you save more electricity or no? >> Yeah, that's a excellent question and motors operate a little differently in uh an engine would. And they solve a lot of
the needs of what they have to do by gearing. We've chosen a different strategy. So, there is no shifting. We could do a two-speed, but that's a lot of uh intricate mechanicals and it represents potential reliability issue.
So, we have two axles. We have the torque axle on the front and that's geared for acceleration, for hill climb, those big power maneuvers. And then we have a separate axle that is geared for efficiency. So, when you get to highway
speed, the torque axle actually completely disengages. The wheels are still on the ground, but there's nothing spinning internal that could be drag that would have an efficiency penalty. So, we try to give you really smooth
band, all the power you need, but then also get to maximum efficiency when interesting. You know, I have a White steam car. Mhm. 1900 19 Well, I got a bunch of them. 1910, 1907.
And they have a a two-speed rear end. And the idea being that you totally different, you know. A gas car, you're trying to get the heat >> Steam car, you're trying to keep the heat in. Mhm. Uh but the two-speed rear
it works It's the only steam car with a developed with a two-speed rear end because with a thousand foot pounds of torque from zero, you you don't really need it, but it just drops the the the revs in there, you know, the
amount of vibration everything. I mean, it's a fascinating You would get a kick out of the white steam car. It is It is truly a Edwardian scientific instrument. It has a thing called the flow motor. It all works on
temperature and pressure. It's all mechanical, no electric. It's It's really the ultimate steampunk kind of vehicle. That's neat. And real steampunk, not phony steampunk. I mean, it's pretty cool.
The original roadster actually had a two-speed I know, I broke it. >> He brought it to the garage and I shifted and by the time we got back it was it was in trouble. Yeah. It was It couldn't take the tremendous amount
of torque. Yeah, and now we eventually bias towards a single speed for all of the plaid powertrain, we've taken a similar approach over here on semi of being able to increase the motor rpm,
the stator. We've really been able to get a much flatter torque curve so that you don't get that power degradation as the rpms get near their top end. And so we have really eliminated the need for that two-speed, but we've solved it here
ratios entirely. >> interesting. Yeah. to kick out of. My Chrysler turbine car. Yeah.
Do you know the story on that? I got it about 15 years ago. I only know of it. I >> [laughter] >> I mean, literally. And there's no parts. So we found 60 guys from the original
team all over the age of 80. And they said, "We'll build you a new motor, you just pay for parts." So Williams Turbines in Detroit, his father worked on the original turbine project. He gave us the clean
And these guys, they brought out all their engineering plans from 1962, all the ideas that they never got to incorporate, and they built a brand new turbine. I mean, it's nothing I'll show it to you. It's pretty amazing. Yeah,
that type of engineering and innovation and willing to just try new things is it in the automotive space over the years. >> really It is cool. Cuz even in 1906, a third was electric, a third was steam, and a third was
know which one was going to win. >> Yeah. You know, so it's interesting. Yeah. And now in the heavy truck space, while it's been dominated by diesel, we're really making a play to switch it to electric. And it's not just because
from a sustainability point, it's great. It's really about economics. Right. >> On a per mile basis, this truck is uh from a energy standpoint, 50% cheaper to run here in California. Yeah. >> talk about across the US, we're about
we're nearly 20% cheaper on a per mile basis, and that's inclusive of everything, not just energy. Right. >> Whether it's reduced maintenance, uh and just uh fuel as well. So, we're really talking
about total cost of ownership being substantially less, which will really substantially less, which will really get a lot of people to adopt it.
brake, you'd squeeze the paddles to increase the amount of regen. >> Yeah. You know, and I just liked that idea. Like, I watch Oh, I gained a mile, >> Yeah, we've really moved towards just controlling that
throttle, including regen, with your foot. And Ford canceled their electric Lightning the F-150. Yeah. I'm hopeful that they're making new investments into a new platform that will allow them to go to electric at
more players in the space. Yeah, yeah. on the heavy duty side, you we can't go this alone. We really need everybody all vehicle. It was a nice transition. You know, it had all the truck, you know,
switch gear and everything. I drove it for a while and then I saved a fortune in gas. Yeah. I mean, it's just so incredibly easy to road. It's fast, really good. Yeah, and that's
the feedback we consistently get from drivers. And we do a lot of demos with our customers, so and we'll work with small or big fleets and they can demo the truck for several weeks, put it in their operations, and
And the consistent feedback that they give us is the worst part of the demo is >> Right, right. So, we've been really proud of what we've been able to long list of interested customers. We get at the question a lot, why did we
get into the heavy truck space? And the reason is that the medium space, as opposed to doing a delivery van or you know, some type of walk-in van, you're not actually consuming that much fuel. You're going low speed, short
distances throughout the day. And so, especially early on when you're trying there's a price premium, it's really difficult to pay back that investment. Well, to me it's kind of like the restaurant industry. You can
make money at the high end or make money at the low end. It's when you open a Denny's or a sit-down restaurant with a waitress and a tip, that's where you that's where you you you suffer. Yeah. You know, you go to a regular restaurant
with your fam it's 60 bucks. What do we have, you know? Right. And so here, in the heavy truck space, on the high end of the vehicle classes, you have that fuel consumption, that energy throughput that allows you to
buying a new truck. So that's been the thesis the entire time and why we went from light duty side all the way up to the class 8 trucks and skipped the middle. Yeah, one of the things that we did, I I saw you looking to make that
maneuver, is we've updated the mirror, made it a little longer to give you Yeah. from If you're hauling a trailer without ever moving the mirror, you can see all the way from the top of the trailer down to your drive tires here on
really good visibility of what's going on next to you. Yes, it does. So it has an air suspension. >> Yeah. And uh it's really valuable when trying to pick up the trailer, for
example, because you want to duck underneath it and then lift it up. So having that uh ride height adjustability is is really critical. higher ride height if you need to clear an obstacle, for example.
Yeah, and so last time that we drove, Jay, you were driving the 500-mi range truck, our long range. Right. And this is the 325 version, our standard range. >> It's the Most of the vehicle is the same. It's
the same drivetrain at the back. The whole The cab is the same. The uh front axle's the same. It's really the middle. Essentially, on the long range truck, we >> Right. And on the standard range truck, we do is we
wheelbase accordingly. So you end up with a lighter, less expensive, more maneuverable tractor. So if you don't need the big energy that the long range provides, this is a great truck, especially for those urban routes, going
to the port, doing deliveries. And you can pull exactly the same load, right? >> Same load, yeah. Zero compromise in capability.
off a stop light, for example. If you have other drivers around, you no behind that slow truck and you want to zoom past or try to duck in. So, you by the drivers that have had a chance to operate with this.
bring this vehicle to high-volume production this year. We're opening our factory outside of Reno, Nevada, right next to our gigafactory where we do batteries and motors for other cars. >> just build these, no sedans or That's
right. It's a ground-up new factory exclusively for the semi. Yeah, it's awesome that we're going to get to reinvest in that same area. And by going to high-volume, a factory that could do 50,000 units a year, we're
really able to drive down costs and make this economically viable throughout the And then we also plan to take this design and bring the truck to Europe as well. And no air brake? Uh no, this truck does
>> Oh, it does? Oh. Yeah, so standard air friction brakes. It is unique um and you clicking and that is This is a brake-by-wire system in that
you're commanding some valves to move. So, it's still pneumatically actuated, but it is electronically controlled. So, it gives you a really high degree of uh precision. And we're excited to bring that system to the
uh market here in the US. Cuz the other thing is all the trailers out there have interface with those. >> of course, that makes sense. And not >> of course, that makes sense. And not need a custom trailer.
interface components that we do on the car side. We also bring in some truck flare to it for the additional controls the driver needs. But then we will uh do a similar routing. So, if
go, it will route you accordingly using only valid truck routes. Right. >> And then in addition, it will if you need to route to one of our public charging stations for semi
trucks. So, one of our mega chargers, and it will do that exact same behavior that you might have in your car where it preps the car for charging. It tells you what the station availability is. So, we really want to bring that seamless
really want to bring that seamless charging experience over to the truck. Seat's very comfortable. Yeah, so the seat is actually a fully >> Is that right? Yeah. Yeah. We know that drivers really like to have a
comfortable seat, and so we wanted to put a high premium on that. And it has a It'll be on your your left side there. Yeah. things that are neat there. One is that so your recline position, for example,
it's stored to memory, so your driver profile. So, any driver that gets into position and their settings come with them. Oh, I see. >> So, that way if you're in a fleet, Yeah. >> it always feels like it's your truck.
Very good. And then also we've brought over an electric retractor, um and allows us to really sense seatbelt usage, but also um in the event of an uh of an incident, we can sense down and really keep the driver well secured uh
during an accident. Nice steering radius. Yeah, the steering >> pretty amazing. Yeah, the steering radius in our trucks are really good, but in the standard range in particular, it's about the same as our Model 3 or
>> Yeah, that's pretty amazing. Yeah, the independent front suspension enabled a high degree of wheel cut. And it goes a little bit back to what Franz was talking about with rethinking the shape of everything. It gives us
that high wheel cut for greater maneuverability. You never have any do you? Do you or do you? Is it possible? I mean, you can. It's possible, but we've designed the truck that you can pretty much take on any
the motors are getting stressed the hardest. You can take on any highway grade and before you'd run into a thermal limit, you actually run out of grade cuz the hills are only so long. And so we've really optimized for to
give you performance consistent across regardless of what road type you run into. And what wears an electric motor? I mean, in the old days it would be the brushes. You had the carbon brushes, then you had brushless motors. So what
what would wear out after a million miles? I mean, there's not much to wear out. You you maybe maybe some bearings, but that's about it. There's not much in the design of the powertrain to last that entire time. And even if
you did have an issue, we're really we're again, we're trying to bring over the reliability from our other platforms. So the motor actually we share the same stator and we share the same inverter of what we do on
Cybertruck. So it's a mass-manufactured, high-reliability, really well-understood component. And then if you do have an issue, we have service centers that lot of service using mobile service. So we send
technicians out in cars to come to where the truck is Right. >> to help you including roadside assistance cuz we know that you know, if off the road as quickly as you can and back on the road. And so we've really
to do that. Have you got a price on what one of these trucks is just yet or no? Yeah, we haven't disclosed pricing, but again, payback is in the first few years of operation compared to running a diesel.
One of the areas, Jay, that has changed since the last truck is the steering. >> Oh, you mentioned that. Yeah, no more hydraulics. Yeah, and we think it's the electric for a heavy duty platform. And you know,
it's it's a neat system. It we've got two different power actuators. They're independently fed from power as well as communications. So, they're very So, that's really important when we talk about you know, safety as well as any
>> There's no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels. is Yeah, this is not steer by wire. It's >> Oh, that's interesting. Okay. Yeah, so there's still a shaft, but rather than
doing the assist by hydraulic, which is a waste cuz it's just energy conversion, we get to do it with pure electric. >> Now, is that mandated by law that you must have a mechanical connection? No, it's not. And the Cybertruck for example
>> Yeah, that's what I thought. That's what I thought. So, I thought, oh, I thought you know, in case of a failure you must have a manual, you know. Nope. No, And everything still moves by truck, doesn't it? It's it's like
when the trucks took away from the railroads, you know. Yeah. I mean, it's we're not in a world yet where they're transporting stuff in something other thing, isn't it? That's right. Yeah, it's about 65-ish percent of goods in
the United States are moved by truck and about 75% of the goods by value. So, you know, trucking there's a phrase, if you bought it, a truck brought it. connect all the other forms of transportation.
But, it's amazing. They're only heavy trucks they're only about 1% of vehicles on the road. Right. But, they account for road. Right. But, they account for 16 to 18% of fuel consumed because
they're heavy, they're running fast all the time, and they're out for a long stretch of the day. So, you know, you're putting 100,000 plus miles on a heavy truck in a year. But, very good. Thanks for making me the first one to allow me
to the first one to drive it. It's very impressive. I've been a Tesla fan since impressive. I've been a Tesla fan since the beginning because I I I just I You electric vehicles is they allow me to enjoy my internal combustion vehicles.
And and and they they they said to save the gasoline for me if that makes any go. I mean, to me the internal combustion stuff, hot rods, Mustangs, like snowmobiles, you use them on weekends, recreation, go to car shows,
you do track days. When you do day-to-day transportation, going to the airport, running errands, electric just seems like the way to do it. And I think it's really smart to always have another form of propulsion
in your back pocket, another form of energy in case war or something else much, my friend. >> Thanks so much, Jay. The improvements in last is pretty amazing and it I I like this kind of slow roll out.
ready. And this is the year it's ready, isn't it? It's ready. We're going to forward to getting it in the hands of any driver that wants it. There you go. So, we'll see you on the road and I hope you enjoyed this little bit of
new technology. I certainly did. It's It's really exciting. It's great fun to Franz, thank you very much. Hey, and and finish my Roadster, will you, please? Thank you very much. All right. See you guys next week.