Two of Tesla’s senior staff members, Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen and Senior Manager of Semi-Truck Engineering Dan Priestley, just gave Jay Leno a first-class tour and test drive of the brand’s electric Semi truck. Not only did Leno press the two for more details about the big electric rig, but he had the chance to experience it himself from behind the wheel. He even pulled another Tesla Semi during a portion of the drive.
Leno specifically inquired with Priestley about the horsepower and pricing on the Semi, both figures Tesla hasn’t published. The engineer mentioned that the total system output can reach up to about 1,500 hp (1,118 kW), emphasizing that Tesla customizes it based on customer requirements. Lowering the horsepower allows for increased longevity of the drivetrain and tires.
In terms of pricing, Priestley says that it’s comparable to other heavy-duty electric trucks. Unsurprisingly, he went on to say that the real value is in using the truck to save on operating costs. For customers who specifically have regional routes where the truck returns to its home base every day.
More: Independent Tesla Semi Testing Reveals Real-World Range Figures
In those cases, Priestley says that the Tesla Semi is working on par with diesel-powered trucks. Still, there’s much testing left to be done. According to him, Tesla has built “several dozen” production units which isn’t many when compared to the massive production numbers for the rest of the Tesla fleet.
Leno’s experience behind the wheel is a positive one. He comments a number of times about just how smoothly and quickly the Semi accelerates. Making the big rig navigate traffic more like a car was a major focus of the team according to Priestley and von Holzhausen. Even after hooking up to the trailer with another Semi in tow, he’s impressed at how effortlessly he’s able to pull away.
It’s not all about power though. Leno takes the opportunity to complete a full U-turn in an intersection with the trailer in tow. According to the guys from Tesla, the Semi has a turning radius similar to that of the Model Y or Model 3. That helps to make it all the more capable of navigating traffic easily.
The entire video is full of interesting insights about why Tesla built the Semi the way it did.
