Photo from Tesla.com
Tesla Semi will begin production in 2019.

Tesla Semi unveiled; Production to begin 2019

Nov. 17, 2017
Musk also showed an all-electric "pickup truck version" of the Tesla Semi, which can be operated without a CDL.

Tesla unveiled their first move into the heavy duty market, the Tesla Semi. 

The all-electric Class 8 truck will accelerate 0 to 60 mph in 20 seconds with a 80,000 lb load capacity, have a 300 or 500 mile range on a single charge and consume less than 2 kWh per mile.

Tesla boasts a $200,000 fuel savings with the Semi, and says the total cost of ownership would be 20 percent less expensive per mile than a diesel truck. 

With four independent drivetrains, one over each wheel, Tesla says there is "instant traction control." Elon Musk also said the brake pads would "never" need replacement in the truck's lifetime. 

The truck's "bullet-shaped nose" caters to it's aerodynamics, Musk said, and its "side flaps" map to whatever trailer is hooked up to the body to close the trailer gap and improve airflow. 

The truck's safety features include autopilot as a standard, a center driver position, low center of gravity and "unbreakable" glass windshields. 

Production is set to begin 2019. The model can be reserved at tesla.com.

A 'bonus' Tesla pickup truck

At the Nov. 16 unveiling, which was about a month after it's original launch date, Elon Musk also showed an all-electric "pickup truck version" of the Tesla Semi, which can be operated without a Commercial Driver's License. 

"It's a pickup truck that can carry a pickup truck," Musk said at the launch. 

About the Author

Vesna Brajkovic | Associate Editor - Vehicle Repair Group

Vesna Brajkovic is associate editor for the Vehicle Repair Group.

Brajkovic has covered the transportation industry for a number of trade publications, with a focus on the vehicle maintenance and automotive aftermarket industries since 2016. Prior to that, she covered the global aviation industry as assistant editor for Endeavor Business Media's AviationPros.com, and held a number of editorial positions at an award-winning community newspaper.

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