Tesla's first all-electric truck Semi will deliver - part 2

Recently, Musk announced a picture of a Tesla electric truck Semi's first freight road test on social media. However, this shipment is still in the test phase. Tesla also indicated that it will not start mass production of it until 2019. Semi Trucks will ship the battery pack from the Gigafactory plant in Nevada to the Tesla Automotive Plant in Fremont, California. The main route is the expressway, the entire trip is about 427 kilometers, this mileage should be a controlled distance for Semi. To know Tesla's claim that the regular version of Semi will provide 483 kilometers of battery life, as well as a higher life version, it is said that after a single charge, it can travel 805 kilometers with maximum load. (The speed is about 100km/h.)

As the product's gimmick, the Tesla electric semi-trailer can achieve 0-100 km/h acceleration within 5 seconds when there is no load and only 20 seconds under load. The Class 8 version of the Semi truck is equipped with 4 motors. The reliability of the entire drive system guarantees 1.6 million kilometers of operation. In Tesla's solar-powered Megachargers charging station, Semi was able to charge quickly for 30 minutes and earn 644 kilometers of cruising range. According to Tesla's prediction, Semi will also release "impressive" product details in November. Especially for the analysts and professionals questioned previously - the characteristics of each battery can be recharged 500 miles (about 805 kilometers), Tesla or in 2019 to improve the battery pack.

Since November last year, many large companies have already ordered Semi, including Pepsi, Wal-Mart, UPS and Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser's parent company). Although large customer orders can stimulate Tesla to speed up Semi's marketization, Tesla may be under tremendous pressure. These customers will certainly demand that Tesla complete the order before the production deadline.

The traditional fuel trucks are noisy. Unlike the rc race trucks we play in daily life, which is easy to control, the large diesel engine heads of the trucks are really hard to control and the pollution of the fuel vehicles is serious, which has many adverse effects on the environment. Electric trucks will undoubtedly be the future direction of development. Musk predicted that Semi will eventually take the lead in market competition through a mature driverless system. Tesla will also conduct further research and development on Semi's unmanned system and eventually create a fleet of unmanned electric trucks.

Tesla's first all-electric truck Semi will deliver - part 1

According to the American BI website on March 9, Tesla’s electric truck Semi was impressed by market observers when it was released in November last year. At the time, CEO Elon Musk had hinted that the details of this truck would exceed analysts' expectations and expected to deliver to customers soon.

According to some of the details disclosed last year, the Semi is a fast truck that looks as always in the Tesla style. The sci-fi style is very attractive. The maximum load can achieve 80,000 pounds (about 36.29 tons) and it can accelerate to 60 miles per hour (about 96 kilometers) in 5 seconds under full load, 65 miles per hour (about 105 kilometers) at full load (without trailers), with high efficiency, up to 500 miles per charge (about 805 kilometers), the power consumption per mile is less than 2kWh, and 4 independent motors are installed on the rear axle. In addition, Tesla has specially developed a dedicated "Megacharger" electric truck charging station that can achieve 400 miles (about 645 kilometers) of truck life within 30 minutes. At the same time, equipped with enhanced unmanned system and sensing radar, greatly reducing the collision probability, the central bridge design can provide the best view and control experience. In addition, Semi's low center of gravity design can effectively prevent the truck from rolling over.

It is so cool and it seems that the industry is looking forward to more details about this advanced and high-tech truck. Before that, to have the advanced rc off road trucks is also a good way to enjoy the truck fun.

According to previous plans, Semi will be put into production by 2019, but on Wednesday, Musk posted a photo on Instagram, and two Tesla Semi electric trucks appeared on the photo. It is reported that this is the first trial of Tesla's electric truck semi. According to information revealed by Musk, the first trial of the two trucks will drive Tesla’s battery pack from the Gigafactory assembly line in Nevada to Fremont factory, California.

Google Self-Driving Truck Will Start Shipping

Legal Night News, Google’s "Waymo" company under the "Alphabet" brand announced on the 9th that it will start a pilot project for autonomous trucks in Atlanta, USA next week. The trucks will ship the goods for the Google Data Center.

The company said in an official blog that it will cooperate with the Google logistics team in this pilot project. "Our autopilot software is learning to drive trucks after driving cars for many years." It is reported that these self-driving trucks will use the same sensors that the previous Waymo company tested on its self-driving commercial vehicles, but the difference is that the trucks are self-driving. Human drivers still need to be "custodial." The company also said that Atlanta is one of the largest logistics hubs in the United States, making it the preferred location for logistics operations and creating a "perfect environment" for a new round of self-driving truck testing.

Reuters reported that as one of the leaders in the autopilot technology industry, Waymo expects that autopilot will be able to take over longer-range trucking services in the next few years while allowing drivers to pick up locally and choose transportation routes. The report pointed out that the commencement of this project means that Google's logistics team can integrate into the existing freight distribution system and connect shippers, factories, distribution centers, ports, etc. in order to integrate flexibly into the existing freight shipping ecosystem.

Prior to Waymo, Uber also announced that it officially began operating its fleet of self-driving trucks in Arizona. Uber uses a transfer hub model, where the self-driving truck is responsible for the long-distance transport on the highway and the last few kilometers are taken over by human drivers. The truck is a special kind of vehicle that has benefited human a lot, with an rc drift truck, you can also own a truck yourself and enjoy its charm.

At present, there are American start-up companies, Embark, that provide automated trucking freight services. It recently completed a coastal transportation service from Los Angeles to Jacksonville, and its self-driving truck traveled about 3,840 kilometers.

RC Toy lovers love the tools too (part 2)

For the inveterate RC toy lovers, there is an impressive array of tools using which they can mend their cars if they develop some fault, and fiddle with them even if they work perfectly. For the earnest enthusiasts who would like to build the cars themselves, the robot kit with professional grade tools are manna from heaven.

Robot Car Kit for Arduino: This contains all the necessary components and materials.

For example, a DIY L298N 2WD Ultrasonic Smart Tracking Moteur Car robot kit For Arduino will have an acrylic or plexiglass sheet, motor driver shield or motor driver circuit board, two motors, two wheels, Arduino microcontroller board, a battery holder and a set of four AA batteries. One can also get transistor tester, servo tester, heat shrink.

Bluetooth Module: Attaching a cable to connect the car or plane model with the controlling computer is meaningless. The Bluetooth technology neatly solves this problem. A Geekcreit HC-06 Wireless Bluetooth Transceiver RF Main Module Serial, with various selection options, for instance, provides the interfacing with the controlling computer or console for an effective distance of 10 meters, maybe more. Geekcreit is a very professional brand and their bluetooth module is widely used among professional players.

The model making steps are :

1. Get a robot kit and supplement it with add-ons, if necessary.

2. Thread the wheels on to the motors and fix the motor to the chassis using adhesive glue; also attach the battery holder, motor driver circuit, and the Arduino board.

3. Test and select the options to start the car.

Normally, one can just use the readily available software. However, for programming enthusiasts may opt for models with the option to tinker with the code. Involving the kids in the building process is educative and fun. You ask them to read and do exercises, they may protest. Here, you are asking them to fiddle with the system and play - in the process they learn.

Have fun with the car and gain valuable computer knowledge too!

RC Toy lovers love the tools too (part 1)

You may or may not afford the Lightning McQueen remote controlled car, the current year hit from Sphero. But can your robotic toy car, especially the one you yourself build, speak with Owen Cunningham’s voice? The answer is: yes, very much possible!

Even if you are not an electronics person, you are aware of transistors, Bluetooth, and servos, and there are easy-to-follow make-your-own-toy-car kits for computers to cars. The advent of Arduino microcontroller boards and the availability of attachable components including brushless motor, circuit boards, and other materials has made it very easy for building electronic gadgets including toy cars. Any decent electronics stores will provide the basic but professional level kits and components which, along with common toolkits, can enable you to build your own RC car quickly. That means, if you are an entry starter for DIY RC racing cars and you are interested in Arduino development board, you can simply pick an arduino starter kit on the online store which is affordable and will offer you all the parts you will need, so that you have no need to purchase each tool one by one saving you lots of times and efforts.

Transistor Tester and Servo Testers: To provide consistent and proper function, testers such as DANIU (DANIU is a brand that trusted by the senior players for many years) 3.5 inch Colorful Display Multifunctional TFT Transistor Tester and HJ Digital servo tester provided along with kit or can be bought separately. We should definitely choose high-quality transistor tester and servo tester as they ensure the safety and the operation of RC toys.

Brushless motor: SunnySky X2216 2216 1250KV Outrunner Brushless Motor For RC Models, for instance, can be used in the robot cars. It’s widely and universally accepted that the brushless motor is better than the Brushed ESC since it will save more energy and protect your RC cars better. So, if you are looking for a powerful, safe and durable motor, pick the brushless one. More RC toy parts and components will be discussed in the next chapter.

Your best festival gift - four toys that make everyone pleasant

Thanksgiving is coming, Christmas is coming, new year is coming, there are many family and friends reunion party and to express our thanks and love, we will spend lots of time selecting some meaningful gifts to our beloved one. What about some toys which everyone will enjoy and bring lots of fun and happiness?

1. Squishy Toys

Kawaii Squishy Toys are popular now as they are not only adorable, but they can also help people to relieve their stress, so it’s perfect for both children and adults. It’s small and soft, so it’s convenient to take it everywhere you go. When you feel stressful sitting at the office and you can’t focus on your work, try to squeeze them, it will bright up your mind. You have so many different patterns and shapes to choose, just pick up the one you consider the cutest.

2. DIY Wooden Dollhouse

This hands down to be the best present for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Come on! No one will not like this super delicate Miniature Dollhouse. It looks so cute and warm, you can DIY with your family and you can stare at every detail for a while as they are so well-made just like the real one but in smaller size. This beautiful and lovely DIY Wooden Dollhouse even has music and colourful light. Perfect to be placed at home.

3. Wind Up Tin Toy

The reason why the Wind Up Tin Toy will be recommended is because they are retro and memorable. These colorful and vintage wind up toys are worth collecting and treasuring. They can be passed by generation and generation as the symbol of family and love.

4. Yoyo Toys

Aluminum YoYo Ball is children’s favorite. It’s cool to play, and it’s designed to train fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination. It can cultivate the imagination, creativity and rapid reaction ability. It is not only for daily entertainment, but also for acrobatic performance with most entertaining fancy. So Gyro Toys can be said as more like the educated toys.

Basic knowledge of RC car for hobbyists (part 2)

Many friends will ask me what brushless motor should be equipped with what brushless ESC. In fact, this is uncertain because of the car models, batteries and techniques and other different factors. And the RC cars central transmission is also a very important factor.

The basic knowledge of the motor

1. T data: the number of turns. The lower the T data, the higher the speed, the worse the low-speed torque, the greater the power consumption and loss. The higher the T, the lower the speed, the stronger the low-speed torque, the smaller the power consumption and the loss.

2. About MODIFIED motor

Modified motors belong to the modified category in the RC car race, and is the highest level of the remote control electric car race - for example, LFMAR's 1:10 EP touring car race uses the modified motor. Why modify it? What about the high torque motor(large power gear box)? Of course, it is for faster and better! According to some experts, the so-called Modified motor, is to make some of the unnormal motors back to normal in a manual way, by modifying the weight difference on each side to be closer to zero. Remember, if you decide to modify your motor, the RC car tools you use must be qualified or it will hurt your motor.

3. The motor's RUN-IN problem

We all know that the engine of the oil-powered car needs to run, but there are a lot of people who may not know the motor will run. The so-called motor running, that is, before the official use of the motor, let the carbon brush and the head of the degree of fit to achieve the best. In this way, the motor can be used in the best time to work. It is said that after running the motor, in terms of efficiency and life are better.

4. What kind of motor should the novice choose?

Many new players, want the motor to be as fast as possible, the higher speed the better. Motor,  as a power equipment, although has a pivotal role, but not the only determinant, the frame tuning settings and other factors are also very important. RC car is not for straight racing. Of course, the higher the linear speed, the more cheers you can get from passers-by, but as a player, your technique and ability can not be improved. And the higher speed means more loss.

I will also want to recommend the RC car accessories like the Kyosho Mini Z RC Cars Parts, which is quite popular among the RC car hobbyists.