Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, tweeted on Saturday that the Tesla Semi has completed a 500-mile trip with an 81,000-pound load.
The first test drive was a crucial step for the Austin, Texas-based company’s Class 8 all-electric commercial vehicle. The Tesla Semi was expected to go into production in 2019.
Although Tesla was the first to announce the Tesla Semi Truck, companies such as Volvo, Freightliner, and Nikola Motors beat them to the market, but they have only managed to come close to the lower end of the range.
The Semi program at Tesla has had many delays since 2019. Primarily due to the departure of a key executive and supply chain problems. However, in 2017, They first revealed the Tesla Semi-truck.
Frito-Lay, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, will receive the first Semi truck delivery within the next several weeks. In Modesto, California, Tesla has already installed a Megacharger at a Frito-Lay distribution center.
In addition to PepsiCo, fleets have placed thousands of orders for the Semi. Manufacturing 50,000 Semi Trucks at Tesla’s Austin Gigafactory is what Tesla is expecting. Additionally, the factory also produces the Model Y electric vehicle. Tesla anticipates that it will manufacture up to 50,000 Semis per year at Tesla’s Austin Gigafactory.
According to Tesla, a fully loaded vehicle with a gross combination weight of 82,000 pounds will be able to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 20 seconds with the Semi. In addition, compared to a standard diesel-powered truck, the expected fuel savings over three years is $200,000.
According to prior material on the Tesla website, they initially priced at $150,000 Semi for the 300-mile range variant. Whereas $180,000 for the 500-mile truck. It is unknown whether pricing has changed.
Tesla team just completed a 500 mile drive with a Tesla Semi weighing in at 81,000 lbs!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 27, 2022