First Tesla Semi Rolls Off High-Volume Production Line
3 hours ago
- #clean-transportation
- #electric-trucks
- #tesla-production
- Tesla started high-volume production of its Semi truck at Gigafactory Nevada, moving from hand-built prototypes to a dedicated factory with 50,000-unit annual capacity.
- The Semi, first unveiled in 2017 and delayed multiple times, now offers two trims: a 500-mile Long Range for $290,000 and a 325-mile Standard Range for about $260,000, positioning it as the lowest-priced Class 8 battery electric tractor on the market.
- Key features include an 800-kW tri-motor drivetrain, 1.2-MW Megacharging for fast recharging, and vertical integration with 4680 battery cells produced on-site, helping overcome prior supply bottlenecks.
- Tesla holds a lead in price and range compared to competitors like Daimler and Volvo, with strong demand shown by 965 out of 1,067 applications in California's Clean Truck & Bus Voucher program from early 2025 to early 2026.
- The expansion of supporting infrastructure includes Megacharger stations and offerings like 'Tesla Semi as a Service' to reduce upfront costs for fleets, while the focus shifts to scaling production and proving reliability in daily commercial use.