Tesla Semi production to start soon
Since Tesla in 2017 presented the first concept of its heavyweight named Semi, the manufacturer quickly became silent on the development of the vehicle. It wasn’t until last summer, in an email to his employees, that the CEO of Tesla, Elon musk, announced that it was time to start production. It will have taken another full year before we hear about it again.
Tesla has not yet announced anything official on the production of the Semi, but sources familiar with the matter, such as the media Elektrek, which specializes in covering electric vehicles and Tesla products, say Tesla is in the final assembly line verification stage.
In all likelihood, the Semi will be assembled alongside Tesla’s Gigafactory battery plant in the Nevada desert. This assembly line would be able to produce five Semi per week. Our sources tell us that the drive axle assembly line is already operational. There would only be a few final programming settings left before the chain was fully operational. Everything therefore suggests that the first Tesla Semi will leave this factory in the fall.
If Tesla has not yet announced anything official on the production of the Semi, it is because it plans to first reserve the first units to its own internal fleet for tests and analyzes. Only a few privileged customers, who would have left a depot long ago, will receive their trucks in 2021. Tesla could then wait until the middle of next year before starting full-scale production of the Semi.
Remember that although some heavy truck manufacturers have already started to offer electric alternatives to their fleet, none of them has yet come close to a Tesla Semi in terms of range and towing skills.
At the time of this writing, it was possible to order an electric tractor from the Tesla site for a refundable deposit of $ 26,000. At a base price of $ 190,000, the Semi promises to be able to tow up to 36,288 kilos (80,000 pounds) and offer a range of 475 kilometers. A second model with an announced range of 800 kilometers will also be offered for $ 230,000.
