Thread by @jpr007

TESLA SEMI - BATTERY EVALUATION

In advance of the launch of the Tesla Semi we have prepared an assessment of the Battery cost and weight using current assumptions

We have modeled this using the excellent resource from Real Engineering at battery.real.engineering

Our results are :

Semi Red 300 mile range : $65,000 and 2,550 kg

Semi Red 500 mile range : $108,400 and 4,250 kg

Semi Silver 300 mile range : $69,000 and 2,700 kg

Semi Silver 500 mile range : $115,100 and 4,510 kg

“Semi Silver“ refers to the high top version shown here

“Semi Red” refers to the low top version shown with some Diesel counterparts

Silver assumes a frontal area of 8.5 sq m

Red assumes a frontal area of 7.2 sq m

We used a Drag coefficient of 0.36 for both

We have used 65 mph speed although averaging 50 mph would be more likely

We have assumed the trip to be on essentially level ground without gradients

We have assumed 95% efficiency for Battery-to-Wheels

We have assumed 95% efficiency for Regenerative Braking

Here is the output for SEMI RED with 300 miles range requiring 542 kWh

We have assumed a Battery Pack cost of $120 per kWh

And we have used a Cell packing ratio or “fburden” of 85% or 0.85

We have assumed 2170 cells from GF1 with 250 Wh per kg energy density at the Cell level

Here is the output for SEMI RED with 500 miles range requiring 903 kWh

Here is the output for SEMI SILVER with 300 miles range requiring 575 kWh

Here is the output for SEMI SILVER with 500 miles range requiring 959 kWh

Here is the Tesla animation of the Semi truck design

And here is Real Engineering’s video from the Semi’s introduction

COMMENTS

These results seem to confirm the viability of the Tesla Semi with current 2170 Cells

Clearly Tesla may have improved Cells that they are planning to use with better cost and weight than we have shown here

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