Tesla’s Semi truck is set to be available worldwide, according to CEO Elon Musk. The Tesla Semi is currently being tested by several companies in the US ahead of high-volume production, and recent comments confirmed it was also coming soon to Europe, but this is the first time we have heard it will be available globally.
The road for the Tesla Semi has been a bumpy one. Initially revealed in 2017 and originally slated for production in 2019, the program has faced numerous delays, with the Semi only being produced in low-volume at a facility near Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada.
However, production is set to increase significantly as Tesla is currently building a new high-volume production facility next to its Nevada site, with a goal to manufacture up to 50,000 trucks annually by 2026. The plant is expected to begin production in 2025.
With the current limited production, Tesla’s Semi program has been focused on the North American market with less than a dozen companies testing the class 8 electric truck. However, a recent presentation at the IAA Transportation expo in Europe by Semi program manager Dan Preistley confirmed the Semi would be expanding to Europe in the future.
Now for the first time Musk has confirmed the company plans to make the Tesla Semi “available worldwide.” Musk made the announcement by responding to a post by the Tesla Manufacturing account on X showing the two European Tesla Semi trucks at Giga Berlin.
Tesla Semi will be available worldwide https://t.co/qo9504baST
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2024
Musk’s announcement was light on details, giving no timeline for the Semi’s international expansion, or providing a rough outline of which countries might see the Semi first.
The Tesla Semi is already making an impact and proving itself in the hands of its early customers. Most recently we heard from DHL, which tested a single Semi truck over the course of 3,000 miles this past summer, during which time the truck exceeded their expectations. According to their results, the Semi met the advertised efficiency of 1.7kWh/mile while fully loaded with 75,000lbs.
After the successful testing, the company is now figuring out how best to integrate the electric Semi into their daily operations.
