Three years later, Tesla finally delivers the first electric semi-trucks

The production of the electric long-hauler, which was first announced in 2017 and was scheduled to begin in 2019, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a worldwide parts shortage.
The first Tesla Semi trucks were delivered to customers on Thursday at a ceremony at the company’s Gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada, five years after their initial unveiling.

The trucks’ 2019 production launch was postponed for a number of reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic and a global parts shortage. The trucks were first revealed in concept form back in 2017. PepsiCo representatives were present to accept the initial shipment of trucks; the company had reserved 100 Semis shortly after its announcement.

According to Tesla, the Semi has a battery range of up to 500 miles, four independent motors on the rear axles, and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 20 seconds. Prices may start at $150,000, and there have been several low-dozen orders from companies like Walmart and FedEx.
Musk discussed the need to lessen the amount of carbon emissions generated by the transportation of goods around the world while seated on a stage surrounded by four Tesla Semis, two of which were wrapped in Pepsi and Frito Lay logos. But after giving the cause of battling climate change lip service, he quickly shifted to his own brand of showmanship.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, said on stage during the event, “It looks sick. “You should operate that. That gadget, in particular, appears to be futuristic. Later, Musk called the Semi “a beast.”

Musk listed a variety of characteristics he claimed will make the Semi the most effective, appealing, and maneuverable truck on the road. The truck will have a revolutionary 1,000-volt engine design that, according to Musk, will be taken into account during the development of future Tesla products. The Semi boasts an automatic clutch for smooth interstate driving, regenerative braking to boost battery economy, and traction control to prevent jackknifing.

Semi has a tri-motor system & carbon-sleeved rotors just like Plaid. 1 unit for efficiency, 2 acceleration units for torque pic.twitter.com/MDn4cj0jzO

— Tesla (@Tesla) December 2, 2022

In many ways, technology has advanced, according to Musk.

Musk revealed over the weekend that one of Tesla’s battery-powered class 8 semi-trucks had driven 500 miles while carrying 81,000 pounds of freight. The journey was made from San Diego at the southernmost tip of the state to Tesla’s factory in Fremont, California. Musk emphasized at the occasion that the journey was completed without the battery needing to be recharged.
The Semi is being promoted by Tesla as the truck of the future. However, while the company has had difficulty launching production, EVs have already been accepted by the rest of the trucking industry. Major machinery producers like Daimler, Volvo, Peterbilt, and BYD have been developing their own electric long-haul vehicles. According to Bloomberg, the three Tesla Semis that were delivered today were the last component of a $30.8 million project that was financed in part by the California Air Resource Board. Even Nikola Motors, which has battled accusations of fraud and executive turnover, delivered a truck powered by hydrogen before Tesla.

However, before they are widely adopted, battery-powered electric vehicles will have to overcome significant obstacles, such as weight limitations and a lack of convenient charging stations. For instance, truck stops are largely unequipped to meet the power requirements of electric tractor-trailers and their enormous batteries.

Even with significant advancements in battery technology, according to Bill Gates two years ago, electric vehicles were simply not prepared to compete with long-haul trucking. Gates wrote, “Electricity works for short-distance travel, but we need a different solution for heavy, long-distance travel.” (Of course, Musk’s response to Gates was to share crude memes on Twitter.)

During the event, Musk addressed charging and disclosed that Tesla had created a new liquid-cooled charging connector that could deliver 1 megawatt of direct current power. To applause from the audience, Musk continued, “It’s also going to be used for Cybertruck.” (Production of the similarly long-delayed Cybertruck is anticipated to begin in the second half of 2023.) He also mentioned how Tesla’s Superchargers must be disconnected from the grid in order for them to continue supplying power during a blackout.

The company’s lineup of vehicles will be expanded to “cover the major forms of terrestrial transport,” including a semi truck, according to Elon Musk’s “Master Plan Part Deux.”
Musk spoke at the event about Tesla’s current product lineup, which has come under fire for being outdated in comparison to other automakers who regularly release updated versions of previous models. Musk asserted that Tesla wasn’t like other automakers while posing in front of a picture of the company’s vehicle lineup, which included the upcoming Cybertruck and a shrouded vehicle marked “robotaxi.”

“So what exactly is our goal here? Our primary goal is to hasten the development of sustainable energy, according to Musk. This is the reason why we produce such a wide variety of vehicles that don’t really make sense from a brand perspective.