Tesla is ramping up and nearing a launch for the Tesla Semi, and the vehicle just completed one of its most extensive tests.
According to a tweet from Elon Musk on Saturday night, the Tesla Semi completed a 500-mile (804km) drive while weighing 81,000 pounds this weekend.
Tesla team just completed a 500 mile drive with a Tesla Semi weighing in at 81,000 lbs!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 27, 2022
What makes this accomplishment even more impressive other than the stats alone is that these are the exact same specs he promised when the electric class 8 truck was first unveiled all the way back in 2017.
After a long wait the first company to take deliveries of the Semi from Tesla will be Pepsi, slated for December 1 at a special event at Giga Nevada.
The 500-mile range is a little limiting for traditional long-haul trucking companies who look for 700-800 miles of range. However, there are several major companies that see a benefit for the Tesla Semi for short-haul or transfer routes.
Another limiting factor that is often mentioned is that there is few charging options for the Tesla Semi, with only two known Megachargers at Giga Nevada and a Frito-Lay facility in Modesto, California.
However, based on information received by Drive Tesla the Semi will also come with a “home charger” of sorts, just like their passenger vehicles, that will allow it to be plugged in to any high powered outlet and be charged overnight.
The goal for Tesla is to produce 50,000 Tesla Semis annually by 2024. If they are able to hit that make, it would make Tesla one of the largest truck producers on the continent.
Tesla aiming to become one of the biggest class 8 truck manufacturers in North America in 2024
