Company executives announced the deliveries at Tesla’s manufacturing facility in Sparks, Nevada, nearly nine years after Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk first unveiled the heavy-duty electric truck in 2017.
The Semi represents a significant expansion of Tesla’s vehicle business beyond electric passenger cars and SUVs, positioning the company to compete in the commercial trucking industry as freight operators face rising operating costs and growing pressure to adopt cleaner transportation technologies.
Tesla did not reveal how many trucks it plans to produce in the immediate term or disclose the pricing of the Semi during a webcast event held at the Nevada facility on Thursday.
The company, however, reiterated its long-term target of producing 50,000 Semi trucks annually at the Nevada plant.
Musk was not physically present at the event but appeared in a recorded video message, encouraging customers to place additional orders.
“I'd recommend placing more orders if you haven't already, but the waiting list is already pretty significant,” Musk said.
Among the customers represented at the event were PepsiCo, DHL and US Foods. Trucks bearing the companies’ logos were displayed outside the facility as Tesla showcased the commercial interest surrounding its electric heavy-duty vehicle.
Tesla Highlights 500-Mile Range
Tesla said its long-range Semi can travel up to 500 miles on a single charge while carrying a load, a specification aimed at making the vehicle suitable for long-distance freight operations.
“That's 500 real-world miles. Our customers have validated it,” said Dan Priestley, Tesla’s director of Semi truck engineering.
The company also offers a standard version of the truck with a claimed range of 325 miles on a full charge.
The range figures are particularly significant in the trucking industry, where vehicle downtime and charging infrastructure remain important considerations for operators deciding whether to transition from conventional diesel-powered trucks to electric alternatives.
Production Delays
Tesla first unveiled the Semi in 2017 and initially expected production to begin in 2019. The programme subsequently faced years of delays as the company focused on expanding its passenger vehicle operations and addressing manufacturing and supply-chain challenges.
The first Semi eventually rolled off Tesla’s high-volume production line in April, while volume production was scheduled to begin this year.
However, Tesla's July shareholder letter indicated that production of the Semi would begin in 2026, effectively removing an earlier forecast for volume production during the year.
Tesla had already begun limited customer deliveries in the United States in late 2022, including deliveries to PepsiCo. However, production delays, increasing competition in the electric truck market and changes in US electric vehicle policies have raised questions about the long-term demand for the vehicle.
Major Orders Boost Demand Outlook
Despite the production delays, Tesla has continued to attract major commercial interest.
The company this week received an order for 2,500 Semi trucks from a coalition of some of the world's largest cargo-owning companies, including Microsoft and PepsiCo, according to clean transportation nonprofit Catalyst Mobility.
The organisation said the order is nearly twice the size of the existing US fleet of electric Class 8 trucks, highlighting the potential scale of the latest commitment.
The Semi has also attracted interest outside the United States.
Swedish freight technology company Einride AB announced last month that it had reached an agreement to add 500 Tesla Semi trucks to its fleet.
With deliveries now expanding beyond Tesla’s earlier limited rollout, the company is attempting to establish the Semi as a viable option for long-haul freight operators and strengthen its position in an increasingly competitive electric commercial vehicle market.