Tesla Semi likely to come with higher payload capacity than diesel trucks

Tesla Semi has been making headlines since it was first revealed in November 2017. Now, the automaker's Impact Report 2020 claims that the Semi could come with a higher payload capacity than its diesel-powered counterparts.

There have been doubts about the production-spec Class-8 heavy truck's payload capacity. But the Impact Report 2020 claims that Semi's payload capacity would be higher because of the higher weight allowance for electric semi-trucks in the US and European Union.

EU currently allows electric semi-trucks to carry 2-tonne extra load than their diesel equivalents. In the US, the payload allowance for electric semi-trucks is 0.9 tonnes higher than their diesel counterparts. “With both the US and EU having approved higher weight allowance for electric heavy-duty trucks, we expect the payload to be at least as high as it would be for a diesel truck," the report has stated.

Tesla claims to have made significant improvements in battery technology in the last few years. This too will help in increasing the payload capacity for the Tesla Semi. The EV manufacturer claims that its 4680 battery cells come with a lot of advancements than the batteries used in 2017. These battery cells are lightweight but offer higher energy density.

This means the new 4680 battery pack ensures reduced weight for the electric vehicle, enabling it to carry more loads. Also, it ensures extra range on a single charge.

The Tesla Impact Report 2020 claims that the semi-truck should be able to run more than 804 km on a single charge. It also claims that the Tesla semi-truck will be able to offer an efficiency of more than 0.80 km per kWh, through its aerodynamics and powerful electric powertrain.

The US-based electric vehicle manufacturer is currently developing a Megacharger network at the rest stops for trucks across the US and Europe. These charging networks will help the Tesla Semis to top up their range significantly.