While the aviation industry has been busy embracing the latest technology wherever they can find it, the same can’t really be said for road transport. That was until Tesla’s Elon Musk recently unveiled the first electric semi-truck – alongside a brand new electric sportscar to make things a whole lot more fun.
A serious lack of innovation in road transport (so far)
Compared to aircraft manufacturers, leaders of the car and truck industry have been cruising along fast asleep (excuse the pun) for the past 40 years or so – much to the disappointment of our logistics industry.
Think about it this way, when the first 747 Jumbo Jet rolled off the production line in 1969, it was made of aluminium, donned nearly 1000 lights and switches in the cockpit and controlled everything from wing flaps to wheels mechanically with miles (literally) of cabling. Oh, and these early beasts guzzled jet fuel like it was going out of fashion. But, through years of evolutionary developments, the latest “Dreamliner” is a story of technical genius. It’s made with lightweight carbon fibre, cables have made way for electric motors and operation is fully computerised and automated. They’re even ready to trial its first flight powered by mustard seeds!
These sorts of impressive technological breakthroughs have been completely foreign to the car and truck industry, which is why it’s incredibly exciting for the logistics industry to know someone is now on the case.
Diesel trucks are economic suicide
At the unveiling event in Los Angeles, Musk expressed the view that using diesel trucks into the future would be “economic suicide” – and here’s why. He promised the cost of owning Tesla’s electric truck will be 20 per cent cheaper per mile, while they’ll boast faster acceleration, better uphill performance, and a 500-mile range at maximum weight and speed. The truck also features other benefits such as enhanced autopilot, lane-keeping technology, and a design that makes jackknifing impossible.
The trucks are also anticipated to make the cost shipping by road cheaper than rail (brilliant news for Australia). Yes – Musk must have been able to see the dollar signs rolling across the eyes of CEOs in the logistics space – allured by the promise of cost savings and efficiencies. And yes, the bet is on – will Amazon in all its innovative glory be the first to fully electrify its fleet of delivery trucks?
A real game changer for the logistics space
But as exciting as it is, should we be waiting to see it before we believe it? Probably. Tesla has been hit with several challenges over recent months such as their inability to keep up with demand, lawsuits from disgruntled workers, and the emergence of market competitors. While rumours suggest Tesla is struggling for cash, Daimler AG have already delivered the first of its electric trucks to UPS, while Volkswagen, Cummins, and Nikola are still working on theirs. Clearly, many people agree with Musk about one thing; diesel trucks are economic suicide.
So, whether it’s driven by Tesla or someone else, we reckon Australia’s logistics industry is destined to be electrified. Here at Go People, we’re also hoping cars quickly follow suit – not just because electric vehicles are better environment, but because it’ll provide room for even cheaper same-day deliveries!