Tesla begins Semi truck deliveries after nearly 9-year wait
What's the story
Tesla has officially begun the delivery of its Semi trucks to a select group of customers. The move comes nearly nine years after CEO Elon Musk first unveiled these electric heavy-duty vehicles. The Semi is specifically designed for long-haul freight and opens up a new market segment for Tesla, which is mostly known for its electric cars and SUVs.
Market expansion
Semi launch comes as diesel prices hit record highs
The launch of the Semi comes at a time when diesel prices in the US have hit record highs. This makes Tesla's electric trucks an attractive alternative for commercial freight haulers.
The company has reiterated its commitment to produce 50,000 Semis annually at its Nevada plant.
However, it did not reveal any details about production volumes or pricing of the electric trucks during a recent event at the plant.
Performance
Long-range version can cover up to 805km on single charge
The long-range version of the Semi can cover up to 805km on a single charge, even when fully loaded.
This was confirmed by Dan Priestley, Tesla's director of Semi truck engineering, who said "That's 500 real-world miles. Our customers have validated it."
A standard variant of the truck has a range of 523km.
Production delays
First semi truck came off the production line in April
The Semi was first unveiled in 2017 with production originally slated to begin in 2019. However, the first truck only came off the high-volume production line in April this year.
Despite these delays and rising competition, Tesla recently received an order for 2,500 Semis from a coalition of major cargo-owning shippers, including Microsoft and PepsiCo.