A report last summer from the Environmental Defense Fund counted 1,777 warehouses in New Jersey. The trucks that service them are predominantly diesel and belch noxious fumes and particulate matter throughout the state, often in overburdened neighborhoods.
The report said that in New Jersey 1.9 million people live within a half mile of a warehouse.
Skepticism has abounded that the workhorses of our trucking fleet can be converted to electric. The new Tesla Semi may change that perception. Semis are trucks with detachable cabs that haul trailers and flatbeds laden with goods.
The Tesla Semi can cover huge distances with minimal recharges and pull loads roughly equivalent to what diesel-powered semis can haul (graphic).
Just about 100 Tesla Semis rolled off the assembly line in 2023, and PepsiCo was the first to put them into service, in California. Tesla plans to move into full production by the end of this year. Tesla has previously stated plans to produce 50,000 semi-trucks starting in 2024.
That means New Jersey residents may start noticing these trucks very soon.
Resources
EDF Report: shorturl.at/agGHV
Tesla Semi Challenge: shorturl.at/wCJW0
