The first presentation of the electric tractor Tesla Semi took place at the end of 2017. And since then, in fact, there has simply been no information about the further fate of the most interesting car. But now, it seems, the case has moved off the ground. The site dedicated to Semi has been updated with new, more detailed images and technical specifications. So, it is stated that two versions of the tractor with a maximum mileage of 300 and 500 miles, respectively, will be offered to choose from. It is also indicated that the Semi will have three independent electric motors on the rear bogie, the capabilities of which are enough to accelerate a loaded to a full weight (about 37.3 tons) road train to 60 mph in 20 seconds. Recharging the batteries up to 70% should take no more than half an hour at special Tesla stations.
At the same time, the prepaid tractor reservation button disappeared from the site. This is probably due to the huge number of applications that were left earlier. According to one of Elon Musk’s statements, production of the Semi should start before the end of this year.
Fire trucks on gas chassis are well known in our towns and villages since Soviet times. Little by little, modern generations on the chassis of the Lawn Next begin to appear. And this “gasilska vozila” is completely built on all-wheel drive chassis Sadko Next. And not in Russia, but in Slovenia – a small local company Svit Zolar.
It builds and remakes special vehicles of various classes for small villages in Slovenia itself, as well as for its neighbors – Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since these countries are not rich, inexpensive cars are used as chassis, including our GAZ, KAMAZ and Ural.
Sadko Next itself has not undergone any alterations: it has a 150-horsepower YaMZ-534 diesel engine, its own manual gearbox and axles. Superstructure of the GV-V1 machine made of aluminum, a three-ton tanker and units from different European manufacturers.
In the last digest we told, as the famous truck manufacturer GINAF was bought out by a German electric start-up. It seems that such events will be a trend in the coming years – all small producers will be crushed by electrical companies. Here is a fresh example: in the States, the production of electric garbage trucks started under brave name Battle (“battle”, “battle”). No data is given about them, except for a peak power equivalent to 500 hp. And the company itself, apart from the usual peppy slogans about environmental friendliness, efficiency and advanced technologies, is still unknown.
But the machines themselves are well known, albeit in a narrow circle. These are trucks of the Crane Carrier Company (CCC) brand, which has existed since 1946. A small company specialized in the production of special chassis, military trucks and especially garbage trucks on third-party units. Now they are used by about seven hundred customers in different US cities. After a series of sales in 2019, it was taken over by the young Battle Motors Corporation, and now it will continue to be produced under a new brand and with new units.
News about bus “electrification” is not far behind the trucks. The municipality of Indian Mumbai (former Bombay) ordered two hundred city Switch brand electric buses. So far, England has had the largest fleet of double-decker urban electric buses; they are being built there by the eminent Alexander Dennis studio on the chassis and units of the Chinese giant BYD. But after all, India is a former colony of Great Britain, and is still part of the Commonwealth. Therefore, “double deckers” as a legacy of the empire in large cities are still found. Another thing is that they do not shine with advanced solutions: the design of the angular Ashok Leyland Titan machines dates back to the end of the 1970s.
Ashok Leyland’s archaic two-story buildings are still found in Indian cities
And now they should be replaced by modern Switch EiV 22 machines of a new brand from the same manufacturer. The technical data are as follows: DC synchronous motor with a peak power of 235 kW and a torque of 3100 Nm, lithium-ion batteries providing a range of 250 km, air suspension, a capacity of up to 90 passengers and a full charge time of up to three hours. Externally, the cars look modern and will surely decorate the Indian streets. Only the only passenger door in front is embarrassing – in a double-decker city bus!