Tesla Motors has delivered the first electric trailers to its first customer: PepsiCo. Elon Musk unveiled the truck in 2017 and promised first deliveries in 2019. Tesla says the Semi has a range of 800km.
Tesla seedsPhoto: Capture YouTube
Tesla Motors held an event at its Nevada plant to deliver the first trailers. The company didn’t provide information on the truck’s price, but said in 2017 that the version with 500 km of range will cost starting at $150,000, and the one with 800 km, $180,000. Since then, car prices have gone up a lot.
Musk said the Semi is much more powerful than a diesel truck and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 20 seconds. Another promise is that the Semi’s battery can be charged to 70% capacity in 30 minutes at a fast station.
As expected, Musk praised the Semi truck, describing it as “cursed”: “the baddest truck on the road.” The estimate is that 100 units will be produced this year and the goal is 50,000 units to be produced in 2024, although it is hard to believe that is achievable.
Those at Tesla say the Semi completed a test in which the range exceeded 800 km with a total weight of 36 tons which included the weight of the truck, but also the cargo.
Many are skeptical about the success of electric trucks, given the cost of purchasing them and the need to charge them often.
This year, Tesla shares are down 45% and the company has lost $500 billion in market capitalization, to $615 billion in value.
Surse: Reuters, The Verge
