One specification that hasn’t yet been made public through press releases or leaks is the total weight of the Tesla Semi. Green the Only offers wide-ranging details on the battery layout for the truck but hasn’t yet shared information on the truck’s own weight (without a load). The Tesla Semi’s gross vehicle weight rating is roughly in line with other trucks of this class though, according to the data provided.
The Detroit News reports that electric vehicles weigh more than their internal combustion engine equivalents, and this poses unique challenges in the form of road maintenance for everyday drivers. But for the trucking industry, vehicle weight adds another wrinkle to the calculation of profitability and efficient hauling of all types of goods across the country. With restrictions on how much a truck can haul, there is a careful balancing act that goes into the design of a semi to create the best power output possible (in order to haul more weight effectively) while keeping the truck’s curb weight at a minimum. This allows for an increase in the profit margin that a trucker and his or her company can achieve with each voyage. The more a truck can carry, the more a driver can expect to make on a routine journey from one destination to the next. If the Tesla Semi weighs substantially more than its compatriots on the highway, then drivers who opt to switch over to this fully electric model may do so at the risk of notably reduced earnings.