Tesla Semi Program Manager Dan Priestley delivered his keynote address at the IAA Transportation show in Hanover, Germany on Tuesday, and shared new information on the ongoing testing program, and their plans for launching the Semi in Europe.
During his keynote address, Priestley threw out a number of incredible data points. One of the most compelling was Tesla’s pilot test fleet has already driven over 7.5 million kilometers (4.65 million miles), and that a single Tesla Semi has covered an impressive 400,000 kilometers (248,000 miles) over the past 18 months. Making sure that critics could not undermine this statistic, Priestley clarified this was real world mileage, and not simulated, all while operating at the Semi’s maximum gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR).
Priestley also laid out Tesla’s strategy to ensure that the Semi operates efficiently without significant interruptions related to charging and downtime. According to Priestley, Tesla’s goal is to eliminate the need for dedicated charging stops by charging the truck while it’s stationary for mandatory driver breaks, loading, or unloading. By integrating their megawatt charging into existing logistics operations, Priestley says Tesla’s electric Semi can replace diesel-powered semi trucks on a one-to-one basis.
Another interesting statistic is that Tesla’s Semi fleet also boasts an impressive 95% uptime. This figure includes both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, meaning the trucks are operational and earning money for customers the vast majority of the time. This level of reliability is critical in the trucking industry, where downtime can significantly affect profitability.
In terms of efficiency, Tesla continues to explore additional ways to optimize performance. With an energy consumption rate of approximately 100 kWh per 100 kilometers, the Tesla Semi is already proving more efficient than previously estimated, with further improvements expected as the fleet scales.
Given that this event was in Germany, one of the key points of Priestley’s presentation was Tesla’s focus on the European market. Without any major modifications, the current model showcased at the event is street-legal under European regulations, meeting the continent’s unique requirements for weight and dimensions. While the company is not yet ready to launch the Semi in Europe, Priestley announced plans to return to Europe with the Semi once production is scaled up for the North American market.
As for the North American market, Priestley confirmed that Tesla plans to deliver its first trucks to new customers beyond PepsiCo before the end of the year. This expansion to new customers will happen alongside plans to ramp up production with the new high-volume Semi factory in Nevada, which will have an annual capacity of 50,000 units by 2026.
You can watch Priestley’s full keynote address below.
Here is the full keynote speech of the Tesla Semi program lead @danWpriestley which just took place in the IAA in Hannover Germany.
— Jaan of the EV Universe ⚡ (@TheEVuniverse) September 17, 2024
Welcome to Europe, @Tesla!
The Semi is incredible. pic.twitter.com/UPYKkwDVeO
