- The Semi project was first unveiled in 2017 and has faced numerous hurdles
- Now the Semi truck is moving to a high volume production line
- Electric dump truck can travel up to 500 miles on a single charge
The official Tesla Semi X account announced that the first electric big rig has rolled off the 1.7 million square foot production line in Nevada this week as Elon Musk changes the game plan to focus on the Cybercab, the Optimus robot and battery production.
Despite first being unveiled in 2017, the long-haul electric hauler has faced several roadblocks and production delays, with the company so far only producing a handful of models on a low-volume line, mostly for testing on American roads.
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With an estimated battery size of around 900 kWh in the Long Range versions, the Semi is the first vehicle in the Tesla range to be capable of megawatt charging, with the company already installing outlets along key transport corridors in the US that can deliver up to 1.2 mW of power through an MCS 3.2 plug – resulting in charging stops of around 30 minutes.
First semi-off high volume line pic.twitter.com/fI1AdQrJFH29 April 2026
Tesla is quoting $290,000 for the 500-mile Long Range version and about $260,000 for the Standard Range — making it the lowest-priced Class 8 battery-electric tractor on the market, according to Electrek.
It’s also particularly efficient, with Tesla estimating that it can return 1.7 miles/kilowatt-hour even when fully loaded. What’s more, Semi program director Dan Priestley said on an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage that the batteries are designed to last a million miles.
With mass production already underway, Tesla says it will begin delivering the Semi to its first customers later this year.
Analysis: late to the party, but an important player
The Tesla Semi has been in and out of the headlines over the years, partly because it looks so cool and partly because Elon Musk has talked about its ‘sports car’ handling and quick acceleration.
But in the time it’s taken Tesla to reach high-volume production, Volvo has created a whole line of seven electrified heavy-duty trucks, spanning long-haul haulers to low-entry models designed for construction work and urban waste collection.
Also, Tesla is doing what it does best, already investing in the charging infrastructure and ecosystem around the vehicles that are so critical to its success.
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