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Truckers of the World: Electric Is Coming!

Most of the focus on commercial electric vehicles has focused on cars over the past few years, but there have been huge developments in trucking, too. And if you are a truck owner or – more importantly – drive one for a living, you might be watching on with baited breath.

The dawn of electric-fueled trucks is almost upon us, according to recent reports. And it could have an enormous impact in a broad array of areas. Let’s take a look at everything we know so far, and what we might expect in the future.

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Tesla

Back in November of 2017, Elon Musk revealed his plans for Tesla to release a fully electric Semi truck. It can travel 500 miles with haulage of 80,000 pounds on a single charge and is semi-autonomous. It comes equipped with Enhanced Autopilot, which means the truck can effectively brake, keep lane, and automatically signal for lane departures.

Thor Trucks

However, Tesla might be beaten to the market by Thor Trucks. Their ET-One is an incredible looking vehicle that has been cobbled together with parts from lots of other tractor-trailers and has a 300-mile range carrying 80,0000 pounds of weight. And most importantly, the tech behind it proves that fossil-fuel burning trucks can be converted into electrically powered vehicles and that Thor Trucks reckon it will be ready to sell far quicker than Tesla’s version.

Truck drivers today

Is this bad news for the truck drivers of today? Possibly – and it might happen sooner than most people think. Trucking is a big opportunity for anyone with a barrier to entry to traditional jobs, and given the gig doesn’t require an education, it’s heavily unionized and, in effect, relatively well paid. If electric trucks come to the market – and are automated, as expected – where will these people look for work? And given the huge industry around trucking – from diesel truck mechanics through to logistics experts – it could have a deep impact. While truck driving isn’t the greatest job in the world, it is in demand, so what will happen wants it isn’t?

The truck drivers of tomorrow

Ultimately, the world is quite ready for full automation in cars – let alone gargantuan sized vehicles like trucks. But as soon as automation comes in, the reality is that people will get used to it fairly quickly, as long as there aren’t too many major incidents. But even so, truck drivers will lose their jobs. Take what Peloton Technology are doing as the perfect example. Their idea is to create platoons of trucks that travel in convoy, with only the first truck having a driver – all the others are controlled from one cockpit. And the effect could be huge – Goldman Sachs has estimated that automation could see 300,000 jobs going every year around the world.

Conclusion

That’s a lot of jobs disappearing – and a lot of people out of work. And the most surprising thing is that the technologists and policymakers behind all this work don’t seem to be considering the damage they might leave behind. Most people are all about embracing the future, of course, but truckers? They might not be so happy.

Tesla Reveals a Super Semi, 0-60 in Under 5 Seconds!

At an event in Los Angeles on November 16th, 2017, Tesla unveiled its new Semi electric truck, which is capable of traveling 800 kilometers (500 miles) on a single charge with a loaded trailer.

Powered by four independent Model 3 motors, the vehicle can go from 0-60 mph in just five seconds; it’ll take 20 seconds while paired with an 80,000 pound load. The idea with the Semi is to create a shipping solution that’s not only more environmentally friendly than a diesel truck, but also more economical to own and operate.

The interior features a central cockpit for greater visibility and two large displays for navigation and other controls on either side of the cabin. The shatter-proof windshield uses Tesla Armor Glass that the company says is far more durable than standard glass; that’s a big deal because a cracked windshield takes time to replace, and it’s illegal to drive with a damaged one in the US, which means downtime and money down the drain for trucking companies.

In addition, the Semi beams data to a mobile app that presents vital information about the vehicle, along with remote diagnostics, preventative maintenance, and fleet management information.

With the Semi, the big draw for logistics companies will likely be the lower cost of ownership. Tesla says that a diesel truck is 20 percent more expensive to run per mile, and that running an Autopilot-powered convoy of Semis is even more economical than transporting cargo by rail, while also being 10 times safer than having the vehicles manned by human drivers.

It’ll be interesting to see if that’s enough to convince shipping companies to make the switch to Tesla’s electric offering. The Semi will begin production in 2019, and you can reserve them now by wiring across $5,000 apiece.

SOURCE: TheNextWeb