The Tesla Semi recently hit the roads on its very first production cargo trip, according to Elon Musk. Musk posted a picture to social media showing two of the heavy duty trucks ferrying battery packs from the Nevada Gigafactory to Tesla’s California car factory.
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Tesla Semis recently embarked on the 258-mile trip between the first Gigafactory and Tesla’s factory in Fremont, Inverse reported. The journey would take around four hours and pass through Sacramento. Production on the trucks isn’t anticipated to start until next year, so Inverse said it isn’t clear if the cargo trip is basically a real-world test or marks the beginning of regularly scheduled deliveries. According to Electrek, Tesla vice president of Trucks and Programs Jerome Guillen said in 2017 the company would be their own first customer, utilizing the vehicles to transport cargo between the Gigafacory and Fremont car factory.
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Inverse pointed out this is the first time since Tesla unveiled the Semi late last year we’ve glimpsed the vehicle with an attached trailer. Other sightings had shown the Semi on its own.
The Semi will have a range of 300 miles or 500 miles, with expected base prices of $150,000 or $180,000, respectively, according to the Tesla Semi web page. Tesla said the truck features “badass performance,” boasting an acceleration of zero to 60 miles per hour in 20 seconds. The vehicle, which they described as the safest truck ever, will be equipped with four independent motors and Enhanced Autopilot. The company also said the Tesla Semi offers $200,000 or more in fuel savings, saying, “Electric energy costs are half those of diesel.”
Inverse said Tesla has accepted preorders from UPS, Walmart, Pepsi, Sysco, and Anheuser-Busch, to name a few companies.
Via Inverse
Images via Tesla
