Tesla has begun taking orders for a large electric truck called “semi.” It has been about 5 years since the design was unveiled in 2017.
According to Tesla’s website on the 16th, Semi’s order page was opened in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom. The down payment is 20,000 dollars (about 25.5 million won) based on the U.S.
Semi, which debuted in November 2017, is known to have led the project by Jerome Guillen, then vice president of Tesla Engineering and director of Model S program. However, he left the company three months after he took office as president of the electric truck division last year, and the timing of Semi’s launch is in doubt.
According to data released by Tesla, Semi had an excellent air resistance coefficient of 0.36 cd despite being a large truck with a high body. In short, it is lower than Bugattisiron (0.38cd).
Semi is applied with four independent electric motors to exert a maximum power of more than 1,000 horsepower. Thanks to this, it has excellent acceleration that reaches 100km/h from the stationary state in 25 seconds even when it is fully loaded. The expected fuel efficiency is 0.8km/kWh, and two models will be released, one with a charging mileage of 300 miles (483km) and one model with a mileage of 500 miles (805km).
It also features a unique interior design. Tesla’s unique latest design without an instrument panel has been maintained, and the driver’s seat is located in the center of the vehicle, so it is expected to be sold without any modifications in the UK, where the vehicle is on the left. Large displays are located on the left and right sides of the driver’s seat, and a camera screen replacing the side mirror is also displayed on the display.
It will also be equipped with Tesla’s proud Autopilot. Three cameras in the front are used to support emergency automatic braking systems, as well as automobile lane changes and lane departure alerts.
Semi carrying a Tesla vehicle (Picture = Elon Musk CEO Twitter)
The exact price has not yet been disclosed. Tesla’s initial estimate price was 150,000 dollars for the 483-kilometer model in the U.S. and 180,000 dollars for the 805-kilometer model. However, as Tesla has recently been increasing the price of vehicles in a row, there is a high possibility that the price of semiconductors will also increase.
The timing of the release is still unknown. Tesla, which is suffering from huge orders and supply and demand problems for semiconductors and batteries, is behind in customer delivery of models S, X, 3, and Y currently on sale, and the release schedule of electric pickup “Cybertruck” and electric coupe “Roadster” continues to be postponed.