March 29, 2018—Tesla plans to roll out production on its semi trucks in 2019. According to Robert Braswell, executive director of the American Trucking Association Technology and Maintenance Council, the electric Tesla semi could mean a lean towards less complicated repairs for the heavy-duty collision repair industry.
Because the engines are less complicated to disassemble than most heavy-duty engines, Braswell said the Tesla semi trucks could offer fewer parts and less maintenance, since electric motors and electric power trains have less parts than conventional gasoline or diesel engines.
He said something the industry will need to watch out for is how well the electric parts hold up in the trucking world’s corrosive environment.
“I envision fleets and service providers both having to invest in training and equipment to handle these newer systems, and will especially need to be cognizant of the higher voltages involved, but the need for an entirely separate service chain is not particularly likely,” he said.
At the most recent TMC meeting, Carlton Rose, president of global maintenance and engineering for UPS, described UPS’s ongoing involvement in electric vehicles, Braswell said. Last year, UPS pre-ordered 125 Tesla semi trucks.
At the meeting, Rose did not mention the company needing separate, electric-focused repair facilities for the work they’ve done on their electric trucks.
