Close to ten years after its initial concept reveal in 2017, Tesla has officially entered volume production of its heavy-duty Semi truck. The milestone was marked on Thursday evening by a dedicated event hosted at the company’s new Semi manufacturing plant located adjacent to Gigafactory Nevada.
During the presentation, Tesla showcased its production capabilities, stating that the facility is designed to output approximately 1,000 trucks weekly, totaling an annual capacity of 50,000 vehicles. The event served as a demonstration to both investors and prospective clients that the extended development timeline has concluded.
Tesla also revealed a significant roster of new and returning customers for the electric semi. Confirmed buyers include major logistics and food distribution firms such as PepsiCo, US Foods, DHL, ABF, and Einride, alongside other companies like WattEV, IMC, and OK P.
Good for Tesla, but I’d love to see the cost-per-mile breakdown compared to diesel semis before I get too excited about the economics.
Wait, so it’s just starting volume production now? The initial range and charging infrastructure updates were promising, but where are the actual trucks on roads?
DHL joining the fleet is the real story here. If major logistics giants adopt this, the industry shifts will be massive and fast.
Is 50,000 units per year really achievable at that Nevada facility? I wonder if supply chains can keep up with this aggressive target.
Finally! Ten years is a long wait, but getting production rolling with PepsiCo and DHL backing them is huge for EV logistics.