The Chinese Semi

[DonTom]

"Don’t Call It A Tesla Semi: China’s Windrose Delivers First EV Truck In The U.S."

See here.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[tlmgcamp1]

Wondering about weights. I recall a proposal to allow EV tractor trailers would have a higher allowable gross weight to compensate for the batteries. Not sure if/how they intended to reinforce all our bridges with a new design weight in time for the arrival of EV big rigs.

Interesting that California has enough money to support Chinese businesses by offering a $120,000.00 subsidy (aka rebate) per truck.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Interesting that California has enough money to support Chinese businesses by offering a $120,000.00 subsidy (aka rebate) per truck.

The company says it's eligible for the $120,000, does California agree?

 

[DonTom]

Wondering about weights. I recall a proposal to allow EV tractor trailers would have a higher allowable gross weight to compensate for the batteries

Tesla truck LR, 23K lbs, GCW=82 K lbs

Windrose R700, 26,232 lbs. GCW=82K lbs (also).

Modern bridges, such as the SF Bay Bridge limit is 63K lbs per axle, which means all is okay as is.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Brad Buchanan]

"Don’t Call It A Tesla Semi: China’s Windrose Delivers First EV Truck In The U.S."

See here.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Like all of them the weight of the battery eats in to the load carrying capacity.

On other than interstate travel weight is dictated by what is limited by local ordinance.

 

[DonTom]

Like all of them the weight of the battery eats in to the load carrying capacity.

Just as does a large diesel engine and tranny.

Weight of a large truck diesel engine is ~6,000 lbs.
Add 1,000 lbs for the semi tranny.

total= 7,000 lbs.

The Tesla semi battery weights ~10,500 lbs.

So 3,500 lbs more in the electric truck.

The weight of the batteries isn't that much of an issue. A few hundred Tesla Semis on the roads and 13.5 million miles combined to date. At least one of them now has more than 440,000 trouble-free miles on it.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Brad Buchanan]

Don, how much supply would a truck stop with 20 fast chargers need?

Most communities in rural areas would not have the available power to run this equipment.

People in a bubble tend to be looking at their reflections

 

[Brad Buchanan]

Just as does a large diesel engine and tranny.

Weight of a large truck diesel engine is ~6,000 lbs.
Add 1,000 lbs for the semi tranny.

total= 7,000 lbs.

The Tesla semi battery weights ~10,500 lbs.

So 3,500 lbs more in the electric truck.

The weight of the batteries isn't that much of an issue. A few hundred Tesla Semis on the roads and 13.5 million miles combined to date. At least one of them now has more than 440,000 trouble-free miles on it.

-Don- Auburn, CA

I surely must buy a Tesla semi...apparently they run without heavy electric motors, cabling and controllers.

 

[DonTom]

Don, how much supply would a truck stop with 20 fast chargers need?

Most communities in rural areas would not have the available power to run this equipment.

The rural area CCS charging issue used to be solved with FreeWire Chargers. They did not get much use in rural areas, so they used solar to charge a HV battery, which was usually enough for a couple of EV car charges per day.

But obviously, no money to be made that way so they are now out of business.

IOW, the technology is there for the rural area DCFC, but the profit isn't.

But AC input charging is getting somewhat common in the rural areas, which means enough juice in a reasonable time to get somewhere with a DCFC.

It's not too often one drives more than 200 miles before a DCFC, so I still don't think it is that much of an issue these days, especially with Teslas which can charge with any type of charger they can find.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[John From Detroit]

Wondering about weights. I recall a proposal to allow EV tractor trailers would have a higher allowable gross weight to compensate for the batteries. Not sure if/how they intended to reinforce all our bridges with a new design weight in time for the arrival of EV big rigs.

Interesting that California has enough money to support Chinese businesses by offering a $120,000.00 subsidy (aka rebate) per truck.

Well first the electric motors may be lighter than the ICE engine and fuel.. A semi (per google) can hold betwee 100 and 300 gallons at about 8 pounds per. so that's 800 to 2400 pounds.
Not that much heavier I'd guess.

Second: The California has enough money. California's economy is actually best in Country. CA has the biggest GDP of any state.

All 50 US States Ranked by GDP [Report 2024]

Check out the data of all US states ranked by GDP and find out how well your state is doing for the economy.

usabynumbers.com

 

[RayIN]

Up to 416 miles per charge. That's just half of the drivers 10hr day, and the cab has no room for an alternate driver. That's sure going to add to transportation costs.
Yet Chinese EV autos are not allowed to be sold here.

 

[DonTom]

A semi (per google) can hold betwee 100 and 300 gallons at about 8 pounds per. so that's 800 to 2400 pounds.

And another 15 gallons of oil at 112 lbs.

Of course, for now, the batteries weight more than the engine, tranny, gasoline and oil combined, but all that can be subtracted from the weight of the batteries.

However, the new SS EV batteries are lighter and could weigh even less than the engine and tranny, along with giving better range and other benefits.

You think Lifepo4 batteries are cheap now? They too will be soon obsolete with the SS batteries making the Lifepo4 batteries even a lot cheaper.

Big changes will be soon coming. L-A house batteries will be rather useless and too expensive quite soon, IMO.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

That's sure going to add to transportation costs.

Nope, not all the trucks will be EV. They will only be used where practical and cheaper than diesel, as they have been.

However, with the ridiculous prices of diesel these days, what used to not be cheaper now could be.

I see Tesla Semis often in Nevada as I am often in the area of the Tesla battery factory where they have a 1.2 million watt charger, which was recently opened to the public. Shown here on Plugshare.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Chef Duane]

The California has enough money. California's economy is actually best in Country. CA has the biggest GDP of any state.

It depends upon how you measure it.

Biggest overall economy (total GDP)​

• California
  • About $4.0 trillion economy (largest in the U.S.)
    

Wealthiest per person (GDP per capita)​

• New York, Massachusetts, and Washington are among the top
  • New York: ~$117k per person
    

Highest incomes (personal income)​

• Massachusetts and Connecticut rank at the top

Strong all-around / balanced economies​

These states consistently rank high across multiple factors:

• Texas – huge, fast-growing, business-friendly
• California – innovation, tech, agriculture
• Washington – tech-driven, high productivity
• Colorado – strong growth and job market

But California also has the biggest deficit (by FAR) of any state. California's deficit is $45.00 billion as of 2026. This places California at the forefront of state debt, with a total state government debt of $112.00 billion and a debt-to-GDP ratio of 2.7%. California ranks #1 among all 50 states by total state debt, with a debt per capita of $2,833 and a proportional share of the U.S. national debt of approximately $116,428 per resident. - CaMatters

So there are tradeoffs wherever you decide to reside. It's good as Americans we have choices.

 

[John From Detroit]

So there are tradeoffs wherever you decide to reside. It's good as Americans we have choices.

On that I agree and I really like Michigan
One of the more interesting things Is I see "Best places to live" articles most of which ignore where I live but praise other places... for the very reasons I like living here. Yet they do not list MI.

Makes me wonder.

 

[Brad Buchanan]

The rural area CCS charging issue used to be solved with FreeWire Chargers. They did not get much use in rural areas, so they used solar to charge a HV battery, which was usually enough for a couple of EV car charges per day.

But obviously, no money to be made that way so they are now out of business.

IOW, the technology is there for the rural area DCFC, but the profit isn't.

But AC input charging is getting somewhat common in the rural areas, which means enough juice in a reasonable time to get somewhere with a DCFC.

It's not too often one drives more than 200 miles before a DCFC, so I still don't think it is that much of an issue these days, especially with Teslas which can charge with any type of charger they can find.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Unfortunately you can't beat physics.

To supply a truck stop you would probably need 20 acres of solar to get started.

 

[Chef Duane]

Michigan gets a bad rap due to bad stories in the press about Detroit. But there are some great places in Detroit proper to live (Corktown, Brush Park, Indian Village), the 'burbs (Royal Oak, Birmingham) and Michigan in general is quite a beautiful state.

 

[DonTom]

To supply a truck stop you would probably need 20 acres of solar to get started.

• Average Range: Most sources estimate a practical capacity of 200 kW to 250 kW per acre for utility-scale farms to account for maintenance access and equipment space, though optimal conditions can push this to 1 MW.
• Panel Density: You can fit approximately 1,000 to 1,500 solar panels on an acre, with each panel typically rated between 300W and 400W.
• Theoretical Maximum: Theoretically, without spacing for maintenance or inverters, an acre could hold up to 311 kW using 140 sq ft per kW, or roughly 435 kW using 300W panels, but real-world installations rarely exceed the lower range due to operational needs.

 

[DonTom]

and Michigan in general is quite a beautiful state.

Yes, Tom & I once stayed at Wilderness State Park in our Y2K RV on Lake Michigan in year 2012, just before going into Canada. Changed the way we felt about Michigan:

 

[DonTom]

for the very reasons I like living here.

Nice there in the summer, but what about your winters?

Here in Auburn, CA it is rare to get below freezing. So I keep both my RVs here, I do not need to winterize.

Reno can get very cold, but many decent days even in the winter for things like motorcycle riding.

-Don- Auburn, CA (lots of thunder, rain and ligning today keeping me indoors)