Tesla hopes to disrupt the trucking industry with its electric Semi and it is looking more achievable every day. The battery-powered Class 8 truck recently outperformed its rivals in a real-world test.
The Semi outshined challengers from traditional automakers such as Freightliner and Volvo. PepsiCo’s Semi covered more miles per day than any other truck in an event (Run on Less) by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, as reported by Automotive News. The organization tracked the performance info of 22 trucks in the wild for more than two weeks, including cost of ownership, charging data, truck performance, etc.
PepsiCo’s Semi traveled 1,076 miles in a single day, only stopping briefly to fast charge three times. This is in line with our earlier report that the Semi covered over 1,000 miles in a single day.
Sixty percent of the trucking time included freight of over 70,000, close to the 82,000-pound limit typical of the logistic industry. The Semi’s average was significantly above the event’s average.
However, data shows that the Semi could conveniently travel 400 miles on a charge and recharge to 80 percent in 45 minutes.
According to Amanda DeVoe, director of PepsiCo’s fleet transformation and strategy, “When we looked at the metrics during the run, we were very pleased with how the Semi performs. What was most meaningful is that the Semi aligned with how our business operates.”
Tesla is in the midst of expanding the Semi’s production after manufacturing 70 units in a year. It is ramping up hiring to speed up the effort.
