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PlayfulParamedic2626 t1_izytkhd wrote

There’s a federal limit to how much a vehicle can weigh in total. So the tractor and the trailer can’t be more than 81,000 ish pounds. If you’re over that the truck damages roads and bridges.

So musk is saying his truck can do what every other truck can.

In reality, a giant ass battery pack is heavy so the truck can’t legally move as much cargo because it’s electric.

As someone who’s driven professionally, truckers drive over the weight limit daily.

It doesn’t work in corporate America

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be-like-water-2022 t1_izz0012 wrote

Don Stracci operates a fleet of freight-hauling trucks and makes a fortune because his trucks travel heavily overloaded.

So while Stracci’s trucks help ruin the highways, his road-building firm repairs the damage.

“It was the kind of business that would warm any man’s heart – business of itself creating more business.”

Godfather

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AzureBinkie t1_izyy1bq wrote

80K for the tractor and trailer with a 2K additional weight buffer reserved for fuel (so 82K max at the scale.)

Diesel weighs 7.1lbs per gallon and they carry up to 300 gallons. That’s why electric tractors have an EXTRA 2K in weight they are allowed to carry.

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johnboyjr29 t1_izz1hw5 wrote

I know drivers that try to run their tank down before getting weighted so they are under the weight limit. You can not do that with a electric

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tuxzilla t1_j0062x2 wrote

My understanding is that electric trucks are given an extra 2,000 pound max weight to account for not having the extra weight from fuel.

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EarendilStar t1_j00uq6b wrote

You’re being downvoted, but you’re right.

Diesel trucks can be weighed at empty and pass, and then add 2k in fuel weight. Electric vehicles can’t remove the “fuel” for weigh in. So, diesel trucks effectively get to travel at 82k, which means we should allow electric trucks to do the same.

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GetYourDichotomy t1_izzzce7 wrote

It’s marginal but a charged battery weighs more than a depleted battery. E=mc^2

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TbonerT t1_j007ffv wrote

It doesn’t even rise to marginal. The weight gain of charging a battery isn’t practically measurable. It is probably in the single-digit milligram range. Truck scale measure in 20lb increments, or 9,071,800mg.

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Narvarre t1_izyy1w1 wrote

The vehicle weight limit is legally allowed to be higher for ev trucks I believe.

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DrScience01 t1_izzctyl wrote

Why? If EV trucks are allowed to do that then why give the limit to diesel trucks

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TacTurtle t1_izzlp1j wrote

The extra 2k is a fuel allowance, which an electric doesn’t need.

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armchair0pirate t1_j005c1u wrote

Yes they do. The battery packs.

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cheapcheap1 t1_j00bxkx wrote

I suppose the idea is that diesel trucks can get weighed with a near-empty tank, meaning they end up on the road with their weighed weight + fuel on top. EV trucks cannot remove the battery during weighing.

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lankyevilme t1_izzjglr wrote

They are trying to throw a carrot to the electric truck because the batteries are so heavy. An extra 2000lbs isn't going to make much difference to the roads, but can offset some of the extra weight of the heavy battery packs of the electric semis.

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Ok-Welder-4816 t1_izzx7f4 wrote

Actually it does make a big difference. Road damage increases proportional to the 4th power of GVW.

Some simple math shows that cars do just a couple % of damage, whereas trucks do the vast majority.

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Ancient_Persimmon t1_j03jpk5 wrote

Trucks do the vast majority of damage, but a difference of ~2.5%, which is about the weight of full fuel tanks isn't going to change that amount by an appreciable amount.

Especially since many states and provinces actually allow more than the federal standard, provided the axle count/configuration meets their rules. Michigan goes up to 164 000lbs with 11 axles and Quebec/Ontario are similar.

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Sudanniana t1_izz0dxg wrote

It does for a train.

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-dlb- t1_j00251c wrote

A train would be overkill when you only need one trailer load of stuff

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atchijov t1_j013az7 wrote

I think it is 80k exactly for ICE trucks, but Electric tracks recently were allowed to be 82k… so it is possible that as a result, Tesla can haul as much as ICW trucks.

Good video with bunch of math checking Tesla claims - https://youtu.be/Uv44W7xa4IU

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TW_Yellow78 t1_j09y9cw wrote

That assumes unloaded Tesla semi trucks weigh the same as ICW trucks. A big false assumption if you look at the weight of normal EVs compared to gasoline cars.

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