Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is indicating that electric semi-trucks like the Tesla Semi will not work because the batteries are big and bulky. The world's second-richest man posits that the bigger the vehicle the more batteries it needs to be powered and that's why those concepts will not work. He further elaborates that electrification for 18 Wheeler cargo trucks or electric jets will not work because a lot of batteries will be needed for vehicles that are really heavy.
"The problem is that batteries are big and heavy. The more weight you're trying to move, the more batteries you need to power the vehicle. But the more batteries you use, the more weight you add-and the more power you need. Even with big breakthroughs in battery technology, electric vehicles will probably never be a practical solution for things like 18-wheelers, cargo ships, and passenger jets. Electricity works when you need to cover short distances, but we need a different solution for heavy, long-haul vehicles," he said in a blog post on his own website.
The billionaire is pushing for electrification.
The billionaire's comments come alongside the revelation of an investment in electric car battery maker QuantumScape which is making solid-state batteries that could potentially transform the electrification of vehicles.
Tesla's Semi Truck will use larger batteries making it bulky according to Gates
In more ways than one Bill Gates is kind of extending his Cold War with Tesla founder Elon Musk. Elon Musk has predicted that once the battery has reached the 400 kilowatts/hr capacity then they will be very useful for electric planes. Bill Gates of late has often snubbed Tesla's vehicles in his own blog posts. He has made no mention of Tesla vehicles but instead has pushed other electric car projects like the Rivian.
