Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Saturday that the company has successfully completed its first 500-mile test drive of a Semi truck with a full load. With its haul, Musk noted that the vehicle weighed in at a whopping 81,000 lbs (or 40.5 tons).
Tesla team just completed a 500 mile drive with a Tesla Semi weighing in at 81,000 lbs!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 27, 2022
The news comes just days ahead of Tesla’s Semi delivery event at Gigafactory Nevada on Thursday, December 1, at 3 p.m. PDT.
Tesla’s Semi is an all-electric Class 8 semi-truck that the electric vehicle (EV) maker announced in late 2017. It is currently in the “early production” stage, according to Tesla.
Company Chair Robyn Denholm said during a court proceeding earlier this month that the company might make as many as 100 Semis this year. That said, Tesla plans to ramp up quickly and hopes to manufacture 50,000 units for the North American market in 2024.
Tesla’s Semi will feature 500 miles of all-electric range with cargo on level ground. A video that surfaced last week showcased the truck’s pop-out windows. Next week, the first deliveries of the Tesla Semi will go to cola giant PepsiCo.
Tesla started sending out invites to its Semi delivery event at Giga Nevada last Thursday. The event is open to Tesla shareholders, and the company said that attendees will “hear the latest Semi updates from Tesla executives, tour our manufacturing facility and witness our first customer vehicles.”
