Article Summary And Takeaways

Article: Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk introduced the Semi electric truck Thursday. PHOTO: TESLA INC.

SUMMARY

In his article, Jennifer Smith describes that in the United States’ economy, road infrastructure and transportation plays a huge part and the cost, of transportation, of goods, is reflected in the prices of goods. Tesla Inc., which is a technology-based company that not only operates in various sectors/industries of the economy, but also in various segments of the industry, has introduced electric big-rig truck. These trucks can travel/travel up to 500 miles on a single charge, which suggests that the cost of operating this big rig is substantially lower than those trucks that run on diesel.

As the products are economically efficient and based on the technologies of future, many large corporations, such as J.B. The Hunt Transport Company and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., have put an order. The initial order is small, as these companies desire to test these new transport vehicles, understand their potential and project their prospects. For instance, Wal-Mart Inc. has ordered 15 units in total; 5 for the United States and 10 for the Canadian division. However, there are specific issues about the long routes. Petrol and Diesel are readily available products, whereas charging stations are few, which question the viability of this system. However, Alan Musk has promised Mega-Chargers, all around the globe.

TAKEAWAYS

I have learned following lessons from this article.

• With the evolution of technology, new realities are formed. For instance, alternative systems of power generations are maturing and stabilizing, reducing reliance, of economies and individuals, on fossil fuel.
• Electric cars or vehicles were one once considered a far-fetched idea/concept, some that would exist in comics for some period. However, because of technological evolution, electric cars are becoming a reality, and they are economically viable (commercial production).
• The continued emphasis, on electric cars or electric vehicles, will have a positive impact on both economy and environment. For instance, we learn that these electric big-rig trucks are more cost-efficient than diesel trucks, which have a high toll on the environment, whenever they are operated.
• Despite all the progress, in the design and efficiency of electric vehicles, vehicles that run on petrol/diesel would continue to dominate the industry. It is because these fossil-fuel run vehicles are supported by a well-developed infrastructure; conventional filling stations are in abundance, which ensures long route travel/transportation.