Electric vehicles still face doubts regarding their viability as a mainstream mode of transport. Yet, they continue to expand to a wide variety of applications and industries. But Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has his doubts about EVs in the field of heavy-duty transport vehicles.
In his blog, Gates discussed that EVs are the ideal solution for traveling short distances. But they cannot be a practical solution for replacing heavy-duty vehicles in the transport industry. This, in turn, makes innovations such as the Tesla Semi an innately flawed concept for Gates.
“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.”
– Bill Gates
Bill Gate’s alternative to EVs
However, while Gates has his doubts surrounding EVs, he does see an alternative path for eco-friendly long haul travel. The Microsoft co-founder places his faith in biofuels as an alternative where EVs cannot make the cut. But he admits that the switch to biofuels is going to be a long journey. With biofuels and electrofuels still being up to 7 times more expensive than fossil fuels, more research and innovation is needed.
While Gates didn’t mention Tesla directly at any point, his remarks do suggest his doubts over the Tesla Semi as the future of long haul transport.
However, Gates’ opinion will get tested soon as Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed his plans to expand the production volume of the Tesla Semi. It indicates that the finalized build of Semi will reach or even surpass the already astonishing specs of the EV.
