Real-world test has Tesla Semi silencing critics: ‘I never expected the Semi would actually be able to get numbers like this’

Many detractors of electric vehicle technology often point to potential range as a notable drawback.

The improvement of charging infrastructure, which allows for the possibility of longer journeys, and enhanced battery technology have made those voices a little quieter in recent years, though.

Now, Tesla’s Semi might further quell some criticisms.

In an independent study conducted by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE), a Tesla Semi managed a distance of 1,076 miles over 24 hours.

As part of the 18-day Run On Less program conducted by the organization, the Semi achieved the feat on three charging stops, with two of those stops lasting less than 45 minutes, according to Freight Carbon Zero.

That outlet reported that a third stop of over an hour brought the Tesla’s battery charge from 3% to nearly 90%. The publication noted the truck was driving 81.8% of the time, while charging time only accounted for 11.1% of the journey.

The achievement is seriously impressive for the zero-tailpipe-pollution vehicle, and it’s turned some heads.

“I’m pro-EV and pro-Tesla, but I never expected the Semi would actually be able to get numbers like this,” said one commenter on Electrek. “Such amazing work.”

According to Tesla, the Semi boasts under two kilowatt-hours per mile of energy consumption and has a single-charge range of 500 miles.

PepsiCo is one of the main Semi customers, and it has seemingly been delighted with the performance of its 21 Class 8 trucks in Sacramento (Tesla has delivered additional Semi trucks for use at other Pepsi facilities, according to Electrek).

Speaking in a video published by the NACFE in August, PepsiCo Fleet’s transformation and strategy director Amanda Devoe said the Semi was perfect for the company’s deliveries of under 100 miles across 12-hour days.

“With that duty cycle, we feel that the battery-electric vehicle is most advantageous in our decarbonization strategy,” she added.

According to the International Energy Agency, heavy-duty vehicles are a major contributor of tailpipe pollution, with trucking accounting for 80% of the rise in these planet-harming gases since 2000.

If the Semi can continue to produce results like this, it will go a long way to helping cut down the need for dirty-fuel-powered heavy vehicles that contribute to global heating.

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