{"id":3491921,"date":"2026-09-25T15:24:50","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T15:24:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/25\/tesla-ultimately-advances-to-electrifying-the-trucking-industry-following-ten-years-of-efforts-and-setbacks\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T15:24:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T15:24:50","slug":"tesla-ultimately-advances-to-electrifying-the-trucking-industry-following-ten-years-of-efforts-and-setbacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/25\/tesla-ultimately-advances-to-electrifying-the-trucking-industry-following-ten-years-of-efforts-and-setbacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Tesla ultimately advances to electrifying the trucking industry following ten years of efforts and setbacks."},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n
\n

Tesla is finally delivering the initial batch of its all-electric Semi trucks to buyers after almost ten years of postponements and enhancements to the vehicle first disclosed in 2017.<\/p>\n

Company officials \u2014 with the exception of CEO Elon Musk, who attended a state dinner with President Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping \u2014 walked an audience of customers, employees, and influencers through various details during an event in Reno, Nevada, on Thursday night. <\/p>\n

Customers will be able to accept the delivery of the truck whenever they\u2019re prepared, although charging infrastructure continues to pose a challenge, a source familiar with the situation informed TechCrunch under the condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n

While the final purchase price has not been disclosed, the executives assured that the truck will assist fleet owners in minimizing their total cost of ownership, cutting emissions, and enjoying increased reliability. <\/p>\n

The event took place at a newly established factory specifically for the Semi located next to the company\u2019s first Gigafactory in Reno. Tesla aims to produce as many as 50,000 trucks annually at the facility, or about 1,000 each week, while generating 3,000 jobs for the local economy. The most advanced model of the truck is projected to achieve 500 miles or more on a single charge (depending on the load size) and cost just under $300,000 before incentives. There will also be shorter-range versions available.<\/p>\n

The long-anticipated launch of the Semi arrives during a pivotal time for Tesla. Musk now describes Tesla as a robotics and AI company, despite the fact that nearly all its revenue stems from vehicle sales. He has also revised Tesla\u2019s mission to \u201cbuild a world of amazing abundance.\u201d When he showcased the Semi in 2017, Tesla\u2019s mission still focused on \u201caccelerating the world\u2019s transition to sustainable energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regardless of the shift in positioning, and apparently priorities for Tesla, the event on Thursday still saw extensive discussions about decreasing trucking emissions. Dan Priestly, who leads Tesla\u2019s Semi program, pointed out that heavy trucks contribute to 16% of emissions, despite representing merely 1% of vehicles on the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re extremely excited to be incorporating these into our own operations because it\u2019s fulfilling the mission we originally set out [with],\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

\u2018Sometimes we get a bit too ambitious\u2019<\/h2>\n

Initially planned to go into production in 2019, the Semi faced several delays. Factors including the pandemic, a global shortage of parts and semiconductors, and adaptations stemming from pilot customer feedback all contributed to the prolonged wait. <\/p>\n

Priestly and Lars Moravy, who oversees most of Tesla\u2019s engineering operations, elaborated on many of those modifications during the 30-minute event, timed to illustrate a Semi that charged from 3% battery up to 60% while connected to one of Tesla\u2019s megawatt charging stations. (Tesla is also constructing an entire network of these chargers, which Priestly elaborated on during the event.)<\/p>\n

Some changes are significant and straightforward: the company has reduced the vehicle’s weight by roughly 1,000 pounds compared to its earlier version. Others are more specific, such as moving from three different oils in the Semi\u2019s drive axle to a single type.<\/p>\n

Moravy mentioned that the previous axle design requiring three different oils had \u201calways frustrated\u201d him, acknowledging that Tesla tends to favor \u201csuper bespoke\u201d designs. Priestly added that modifications to the motor design and contributions from Tesla\u2019s lubricants team enabled the elimination of the other two oils. \u201cSometimes we get a bit too ambitious,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n

Tesla also had to adapt to address issues with the side windows. In its original design, the company used pop-out windows that didn\u2019t fully open, and for years, everyone from actual truck drivers to automotive bloggers pointed this out as an obvious flaw.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Priestly offered an apology. He termed the original design \u201cnot adequate\u201d and disclosed that the new Semi now features standard roll-down windows.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe fully acknowledge we were mistaken about the windows,\u201d he said. \u201cIt turns out there\u2019s a lot of infrastructure in the world, whether it\u2019s a badge reader, a toll booth, or conversing with someone on a call box. There\u2019s all sorts of things right at that height, and it became clear that we needed a roll-down window to better interact with that infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay to be wrong, Dan,\u201d Moravy added.<\/p>\n

However, Tesla seems to have succeeded with its aim of creating a truck that can travel 500 miles on a single charge while fully loaded.<\/p>\n

That assertion, which Musk made during the original event in 2017, was a source of skepticism for many years. One of his most prominent critics was Bill Gates, who claimed in a 2020 blog post that electric big rigs would \u201cprobably never be a practical solution\u201d because \u201cbatteries are large and heavy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without directly mentioning him, Moravy and Priestly humorously referenced Gates during Thursday\u2019s event: \u201cWe\u2019re quite relentless about every watt-hour we pursue in these vehicles because there\u2019s this wonderful compounding effect, [which] is if you make the vehicle more efficient, it means you need less battery to accomplish the same amount of work, which allows you to reduce the battery from the vehicle, which decreases cost and mass,\u201d Priestly indicated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had some critics, names shall not be disclosed,\u201d Moravy continued. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut, well-known names,\u201d Priestly countered.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd at Tesla, we welcome when people assert that something is impossible. So we took on that challenge,\u201d Moravy stated.<\/p>\n

While Musk was absent, he did record a segment that aired before the event commenced. In the video, he mentioned the Semi will be the \u201cmost enjoyable truck to drive.\u201d He also assured that Tesla\u2019s partial automation features (notably absent from the Semi despite the delays) will be incorporated in the \u201cnear future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Musk also presented the truck as making \u201ca ton of sense economically, because the cost of electricity per mile is significantly lower than that of diesel, especially in these turbulent times\u201d \u2014 although that final point conveniently overlooks the fact that diesel prices have surged due to the president Musk helped elect initiating a war that has disrupted energy markets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you buy through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/div>\n
\n

Tesla is finally delivering the initial batch of its all-electric Semi trucks to buyers after almost ten years of postponements and enhancements to the vehicle first disclosed in 2017.<\/p>\n

Company officials \u2014 with the exception of CEO Elon Musk, who attended a state dinner with President Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping \u2014 walked an audience of customers, employees, and influencers through various details during an event in Reno, Nevada, on Thursday night. <\/p>\n

Customers will be able to accept the delivery of the truck whenever they\u2019re prepared, although charging infrastructure continues to pose a challenge, a source familiar with the situation informed TechCrunch under the condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n

While the final purchase price has not been disclosed, the executives assured that the truck will assist fleet owners in minimizing their total cost of ownership, cutting emissions, and enjoying increased reliability. <\/p>\n

The event took place at a newly established factory specifically for the Semi located next to the company\u2019s first Gigafactory in Reno. Tesla aims to produce as many as 50,000 trucks annually at the facility, or about 1,000 each week, while generating 3,000 jobs for the local economy. The most advanced model of the truck is projected to achieve 500 miles or more on a single charge (depending on the load size) and cost just under $300,000 before incentives. There will also be shorter-range versions available.<\/p>\n

The long-anticipated launch of the Semi arrives during a pivotal time for Tesla. Musk now describes Tesla as a robotics and AI company, despite the fact that nearly all its revenue stems from vehicle sales. He has also revised Tesla\u2019s mission to \u201cbuild a world of amazing abundance.\u201d When he showcased the Semi in 2017, Tesla\u2019s mission still focused on \u201caccelerating the world\u2019s transition to sustainable energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regardless of the shift in positioning, and apparently priorities for Tesla, the event on Thursday still saw extensive discussions about decreasing trucking emissions. Dan Priestly, who leads Tesla\u2019s Semi program, pointed out that heavy trucks contribute to 16% of emissions, despite representing merely 1% of vehicles on the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re extremely excited to be incorporating these into our own operations because it\u2019s fulfilling the mission we originally set out [with],\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

\u2018Sometimes we get a bit too ambitious\u2019<\/h2>\n

Initially planned to go into production in 2019, the Semi faced several delays. Factors including the pandemic, a global shortage of parts and semiconductors, and adaptations stemming from pilot customer feedback all contributed to the prolonged wait. <\/p>\n

Priestly and Lars Moravy, who oversees most of Tesla\u2019s engineering operations, elaborated on many of those modifications during the 30-minute event, timed to illustrate a Semi that charged from 3% battery up to 60% while connected to one of Tesla\u2019s megawatt charging stations. (Tesla is also constructing an entire network of these chargers, which Priestly elaborated on during the event.)<\/p>\n

Some changes are significant and straightforward: the company has reduced the vehicle’s weight by roughly 1,000 pounds compared to its earlier version. Others are more specific, such as moving from three different oils in the Semi\u2019s drive axle to a single type.<\/p>\n

Moravy mentioned that the previous axle design requiring three different oils had \u201calways frustrated\u201d him, acknowledging that Tesla tends to favor \u201csuper bespoke\u201d designs. Priestly added that modifications to the motor design and contributions from Tesla\u2019s lubricants team enabled the elimination of the other two oils. \u201cSometimes we get a bit too ambitious,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n

Tesla also had to adapt to address issues with the side windows. In its original design, the company used pop-out windows that didn\u2019t fully open, and for years, everyone from actual truck drivers to automotive bloggers pointed this out as an obvious flaw.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Priestly offered an apology. He termed the original design \u201cnot adequate\u201d and disclosed that the new Semi now features standard roll-down windows.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe fully acknowledge we were mistaken about the windows,\u201d he said. \u201cIt turns out there\u2019s a lot of infrastructure in the world, whether it\u2019s a badge reader, a toll booth, or conversing with someone on a call box. There\u2019s all sorts of things right at that height, and it became clear that we needed a roll-down window to better interact with that infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay to be wrong, Dan,\u201d Moravy added.<\/p>\n

However, Tesla seems to have succeeded with its aim of creating a truck that can travel 500 miles on a single charge while fully loaded.<\/p>\n

That assertion, which Musk made during the original event in 2017, was a source of skepticism for many years. One of his most prominent critics was Bill Gates, who claimed in a 2020 blog post that electric big rigs would \u201cprobably never be a practical solution\u201d because \u201cbatteries are large and heavy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Without directly mentioning him, Moravy and Priestly humorously referenced Gates during Thursday\u2019s event: \u201cWe\u2019re quite relentless about every watt-hour we pursue in these vehicles because there\u2019s this wonderful compounding effect, [which] is if you make the vehicle more efficient, it means you need less battery to accomplish the same amount of work, which allows you to reduce the battery from the vehicle, which decreases cost and mass,\u201d Priestly indicated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had some critics, names shall not be disclosed,\u201d Moravy continued. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut, well-known names,\u201d Priestly countered.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd at Tesla, we welcome when people assert that something is impossible. So we took on that challenge,\u201d Moravy stated.<\/p>\n

While Musk was absent, he did record a segment that aired before the event commenced. In the video, he mentioned the Semi will be the \u201cmost enjoyable truck to drive.\u201d He also assured that Tesla\u2019s partial automation features (notably absent from the Semi despite the delays) will be incorporated in the \u201cnear future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Musk also presented the truck as making \u201ca ton of sense economically, because the cost of electricity per mile is significantly lower than that of diesel, especially in these turbulent times\u201d \u2014 although that final point conveniently overlooks the fact that diesel prices have surged due to the president Musk helped elect initiating a war that has disrupted energy markets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

When you buy through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3491922,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3491921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3491921"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3491921"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3491921\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3491922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3491921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3491921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/techingeek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3491921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}