The Tesla big-rig gets rid of something truckers have done forever

Tesla

No clutch.

• Tesla revealed its big-rig on Thursday night.
• The all-electric Tesla Semi eliminates the conventional clutch and gears of traditional big-rigs.
• The Tesla Semi should also have far better brake life than traditional rigs.

HAWTHORNE, California - Tesla revealed its all-electric big-rig on Thursday night in Los Angeles, and not surprisingly, the massive machine has done away with a long-standing trucker skill.

There's no clutch, and there are no gears. For decades, grinding through the many gears of a big-rig has been an essential trucker skill. But the Tesla Semi, as the company is calling it, puts an end to that.

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"The Tesla Semi requires no shifting or clutching for smooth acceleration and deceleration," Tesla said in a statement, "and its regenerative braking gives it basically infinite brake life."

Regenerative braking is a technology that enables electric and hybrid-electric vehicles to use the energy expended while braking to recharge their batteries.

"Overall, the Semi is more responsive, covers more miles than a diesel truck in the same amount of time, and more safely integrates with passenger car traffic," Tesla added.

Electric vehicles effectively have only a single gear, so the 18-speeds of a diesel rig aren't necessary. Nor are the heavy clutches these trucks use to shift gears.

I once received a tutorial on how to shift gears from a big-rig trucker, and it truly is an impressive skill. Truckers take pride in their knowledge, but many would also welcome a break from the demands of managing the massive torque and power that traditional semis produce.

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