jerhenderson

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Tesla Claimed Cybertruck Could Pull “Near Infinite Mass” — What Does That Even Mean?



https://cleantechnica.com/2023/01/1...-near-infinite-mass-what-does-that-even-mean/











But Is It “Near Infinite?”

As Jason Torchinsky at The Autopian mentions, there is a way to calculate drawbar pulls based on the torque of the vehicle. If you choose a towing target with low rolling resistance, and use a lot of torque (something Cybertruck will have), the pulling capacity (not towing, but pulling) should be in the millions of pounds. So, yes, the numbers will be very big (once we have them).



But the problem with “near infinite” is that it’s a meaningless term. It’s not just vague, but literally meaningless. Mathematically speaking, something can either be infinite or not. If there’s too many to possibly ever count because you’d never get to the end (because there is no end), then it’s infinite. If it’s countable at all, even if it’s a really big number, then it’s finite. In other words, something is either infinite or it’s not, kind of like someone can either be pregnant or not pregnant. If a person was “near pregnant,” then they’re just👽 not.
aliens
 

PES_CT

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Are you sure you read my response? My point was about the electric drive not the diesel.
"The persistence of an electric motor's torque is why our rail system uses diesel over electric. The diesel engine cannot stall like electric."
Perhaps you mistyped. Diesel is not the motive power. It only turns the generator that powers the electric motor.
 

fritter63

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Now getting it stopped is another matter all together. 😬
Eh, my mantra when I lived in Colorado:

"Four wheel drive is not four wheel stop!"
 

HaulingAss

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The "near infinite mass" is just playful engineer speak. A light-hearted engineering joke. When they were trying to decide how much to say it could pull, they realized it didn't matter, it could pull so much the actual number was irrelevant. One engineer after another kept out-doing the previous, with ever-escalating scenarios liike, well, with railway rails machined, polished and levelled to a 10,000th of an inch precision, and light moly lubricant on all the bearings, I'm sure it could pull 10 million pounds, followed by the next engineer saying, well, with frictionless magnetic levitation on the load, it could pull nearly an infinite load, no problem, etc. I'm sure they all had a good laugh and, in the end, stuck with the "nearly infinite load" just for the whimsical nature of it.

People who want to take issue with that statement are either too anal or they simply can't find any better ammunition with which to try to make Tesla sound like they are all show and no go.
 


John K

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with low rolling resistance, in 2019 Ford’s mule BEV prototype pulled >1M pounds of train




Was a silly stunt then, and versions of it remain silly. I guess these kinds of snake oil stunts (see CT “towing” battle with F150) are effective on someone, but to me they’re a turn-off.
The ultimate commercial, can the truck pull my son out of bed?
 

Ogre

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I don’t know what the point is here.

Is someone going to get confused and think they can toss a loop around Mt Hood and pull it closer to their house?

If you can get it onto a trailer or even a series of trailers behind the truck, it can pull it. Long before you run out of pulling capability, physics, the limits of the trailer, or the truck’s grip on the road will fail.

Yeah, it is hyperbole, but it’s not as if it’s at all confusing here.
 

John K

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It is the difference in thinking there are wood chips in ice cream vs hyperbole.

tangent: delivery window begins in one week. All be prepared for my nonstop pacing
 

Challeco

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"The persistence of an electric motor's torque is why our rail system uses diesel over electric. The diesel engine cannot stall like electric."
Perhaps you mistyped. Diesel is not the motive power. It only turns the generator that powers the electric motor.
Yes, your understanding is almost correct. Where we disconnected is the intent of the word "stall". What I had hoped you would understand is that stall does not equal die. When a electric motor stalls, it is still working against the load and inertia. When a diesel stalls it dies and you have to start it again. So, we agree, Diesel drives the generator at a consistent RPM providing the electricity only.
I try to be clear, but this time I wasn't successful.
 
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Challeco

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I read Challecho's comment as understanding the concept of Diesel/Electric locomotives. Sure, although the "use diesel over electric" might sound like "use diesel INSTEAD of electric", the rest of his comment proves that he meant "uses diesel powered generators to provide electric current to electric motors driving the wheels. "Diesel over electric" is one way people often refer to diesel/electric locomotives.
Thank you for clarifying. I used what I was taught was the correct descriptive term.
 

Jstoltz54

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HaulingAss

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I wish to have this same level of optimism.
CF331F91-9D3E-411F-BEAD-A5DB7C421948.jpeg
The order date calculator is complete BS, of course.

Not only do they estimate that deliveries will start in two months, which of course is ridiculous, they don't have a believable ramp speed programmed in. For low reservation numbers it's too optimistic and for high reservation numbers it's too pessimistic.

I don't even think they accounted for the order numbers that were assigned to non-Cybertruck orders, they assumed it would be taken care of with the 60% assumed attrition rate.

They claim to offer "Strategic business consultation". I wouldn't hire them based on the assumptions they used to calculate deliveries. I mean, if they are going to claim business expertise, they need to show they possess it.
 
 




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