Tesla Semi announced Tuesday that ZET SCALE, a new shippers’ alliance, has named the company the primary truck maker for a 2,500-truck order, the largest electric Class 8 fleet deal in the United States yet.
The order, revealed in a press release from Tesla Semi, will double the United States electric Class 8 fleet.
ZET SCALE stands for the Zero-Emission Truck Shipper-Carrier Alliance Leading Electrification, a program jointly run by Catalyst Mobility and the Smart Freight Centre. Microsoft and PepsiCo are among the founding shippers. By combining their freight demand, members give manufacturers reason to price the trucks competitively.
Dan Priestley, director of the Tesla Semi program, said the Semi is designed to undercut diesel on cost per mile. ZET Financial, a strategic partner to the alliance, is issuing the purchase order for the initial 2,500 trucks, slated for high-density freight hubs. The alliance plans to scale the model to 10,000 or more electric trucks.
No earlier Semi commitment comes close. WattEV’s 370-truck order in May was previously among the largest fleet orders. The first truck from the new high-volume Nevada line rolled off earlier this year. A recent Top Gear tour showed the factory ramp taking shape (watch the tour). Tesla Semi is also readying a European version with 550 km of full-load range (read the European coverage).
Now the 2,500-truck order has to convert into delivered trucks, and it is worth watching whether Tesla’s 10 freight hubs show up on schedule.
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