No, the "payback period" isn't the time to pay off the total cost of the vehicle. It's the time to pay off the difference between the Tesla and the competition.

No, the "payback period" isn't the time to pay off the total cost of the vehicle. It's the time to pay off the difference between the Tesla and the competition. Here's how you do the calculation: - Diesel semi: $125k - Tesla semi: $200k ($75k more expensive) - Miles driven per year: 150,000 (~8 hours per day at 50mph. Rotating shifts mean these trucks don't take weekends.) - Net savings per mile: $0.25 - Savings per year: $0.25 * 150,000 = $37,500 - Break-even vs. cost of diesel: $75,000 / $37,500 = 2 years So after two years you have more money than if you'd bought a diesel semi. That's what it means.