3 ms·

$.12/kWh is the residential price; for industrial consumers the average price of electricity is $.0725 ( https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_graph

$.12/kWh is the residential price; for industrial consumers the average price of electricity is $.0725 ( https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.ph... ). A truck depot with chargers is more like an industrial consumer than a residential one.

wallace_f 9y ago
Thanks for pointing that out. Given the grid is 65%+ fossil fuels, it is counter intuitive that: A) Fossil fuels+nuclear+renewables to generate chemical/heat energy -> converting to mechanical energy -> converting to DC electric energy -> converting to AC -> transmitting over long distances -> charge & store it in a chemical battery -> convert electrical energy back to mechanical. Is cheaper than just the first two steps in the above, B) Burning fossil fuels to generate chemical/heat energy -> converting to mechanical energy. Large heat engines (power plants) can be more efficient than small heat engines, but all those conversions above have significant losses. I suppose it's some combination of coal & gas being cheaper than gasoline, but I suspect some significant regulatory manipulation (whether for better or worse) is at play here. In other words, perhaps if electric semis are viable, it will have more to do with Regulatory Capture than purely a free market outcome.
- maxerickson 9y ago
  Fuel has a step equivalent to the "transmitting over long distances". In many areas a considerable portion of fuel transport is a semi hauling a tanker, which is a bit less convenient than a pipeline or power line.
larkeith 9y ago
It should also be noted that companies with large fleets may well station their initial Tesla Semis in locations with lower electric rates - for example, Oregon and Washington have quite cheap power due to a large amount of hydro ($.0685/kWh up to 1mW for residential in Portland, e.g. [1]). With only 15 orders to add to Walmart's 6,000 trucks, it will be quite a while before they need to send any to the more expensive locales. [1] https://www.portlandgeneral.com/residential/power-choices/basic-service https://www.portlandgeneral.com/residential/power-choices/ba...

wallace_f 9y ago

Thanks for pointing that out. Given the grid is 65%+ fossil fuels, it is counter intuitive that: A) Fossil fuels+nuclear+renewables to generate chemical/heat energy -> converting to mechanical energy -> converting to DC electric energy -> converting to AC -> transmitting over long distances -> charge & store it in a chemical battery -> convert electrical energy back to mechanical. Is cheaper than just the first two steps in the above, B) Burning fossil fuels to generate chemical/heat energy -> converting to mechanical energy. Large heat engines (power plants) can be more efficient than small heat engines, but all those conversions above have significant losses. I suppose it's some combination of coal & gas being cheaper than gasoline, but I suspect some significant regulatory manipulation (whether for better or worse) is at play here. In other words, perhaps if electric semis are viable, it will have more to do with Regulatory Capture than purely a free market outcome.

maxerickson 9y ago
Fuel has a step equivalent to the "transmitting over long distances". In many areas a considerable portion of fuel transport is a semi hauling a tanker, which is a bit less convenient than a pipeline or power line.

larkeith 9y ago

It should also be noted that companies with large fleets may well station their initial Tesla Semis in locations with lower electric rates - for example, Oregon and Washington have quite cheap power due to a large amount of hydro ($.0685/kWh up to 1mW for residential in Portland, e.g. [1]). With only 15 orders to add to Walmart's 6,000 trucks, it will be quite a while before they need to send any to the more expensive locales. [1] https://www.portlandgeneral.com/residential/power-choices/basic-service https://www.portlandgeneral.com/residential/power-choices/ba...