Tesla begins wider deliveries of its Semi electric truck

Tesla is beginning wider deliveries of its Semi electric trucks, executives announced late on Thursday, September 24, at its factory in Sparks, Nevada. The rollout comes nearly nine years after CEO Elon Musk first unveiled the vehicle. Tesla shares rose 1.01% in premarket trading.

Tesla did not disclose pricing or production volume plans, but it reiterated its target of manufacturing 50,000 Semis a year in Nevada. Customers including PepsiCo, DHL, and US Foods appeared on stage at the event. The company stated that the long-range version can travel 500 miles on a single charge when fully loaded, while the standard version delivers 325 miles. In a recorded message, Musk noted that the waiting list is already significant.

Initial production was originally scheduled for 2019, and limited deliveries to PepsiCo began in late 2022. Recent customer commitments have increased. Clean transportation nonprofit Catalyst Mobility reported that a coalition of large shippers including Microsoft and PepsiCo ordered 2,500 Semis this week. Last month, Swedish freight technology company Einride added 500 Semis to its fleet.