Can We Expect the Tesla Semi by the End of 2022?
We’ve been promised the Tesla Semi before, but new evidence shows the standing release date could be more accurate than past projections.
Written by Andrew Koole
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Tesla has a reputation for making big promises and then delaying their fulfillment or not following through at all. But one thing is certain: the
electric vehicle
innovator will offer a long-haul truck in the coming year or so.Planned production dates have come and gone for the Tesla Semi, but recent sightings around the U.S. give reason to believe that the current promise for a late-2022 delivery will be kept.
Jerry
, your car insurance super app, dug around for details on the Tesl Semi to give you an idea of what to expect from the electric semi-truck and when to expect it.Tesla Semi test drives signal a late-2022 delivery
After three years of delays and months of little-to-no news about the Tesla Semi, Elon Musk said in August that the first models of the electric long-haul truck would be delivered by the end of the year.
We’ve learned from experience to take these types of announcements from Musk with a grain of salt, but September offered evidence that his claim holds weight.
InsideEVs
reported multiple sightings of Tesla Semi trucks, with and without trailers, across the U.S. throughout the month, with some drivers claiming they were headed to Giga Texas, Tesla’s new headquarters outside of Austin. On top of the truck being spotted on public roads, the Musk-helmed company also provided updated photos of the Tesla Semi and began hiring technicians to service the electric truck.
With this new evidence, all signs point to these mean, green, delivery machines actually joining the fleets of their reservation holders, which include Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi, UPS, and Walmart.
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The Tesla Semi doesn’t sacrifice haul power
As with electric cars when they first appeared on the scene, the most pressing question about the Tesla Semi is whether it can contend with its diesel-powered long-haul rivals. The truck’s specs lay all such concerns to rest.
Truck and trailer together, the Tesla Semi can pull 82,000 pounds, well within the trucking industry’s standards. And it can do that using less than 2 kWh of energy per mile. Fully loaded, it can reach 60 mph in roughly 20 seconds.
The truck comes with two battery pack options: one that offers a 300-mile range, and another (the first one expected to be delivered) that can travel about 500 miles on one charge. Using a fast charger, these battery packs can reach 70% of their ranges in 30 minutes.
MORE: Elon Musk Promises the Tesla Cybertruck in 2023
The cost to own one
Like its other vehicles, Tesla’s semi-truck costs a bit more than the average long hauler, with the 300-mile range option starting at $150,000 and the 500-mile option starting at $180,000.
But the $200,000 in estimated fuel savings over three years will more than cover the truck’s higher MSRP, not to mention the $40,000 in tax credits available for electric heavy-duty commercial vehicle owners.
Car insurance
for commercial vehicles like the Tesla Semi works a little differently than coverage for regular cars, but you can make sure you have the right policy for the right price by shopping for quotes with Jerry. A licensed broker that offers end-to-end support, the Jerry app gathers affordable quotes, helps you switch plans, and can even help you cancel your old policy. Jerry customers save an average of $887 a year on car insurance payments!
MORE: Why No One Wants to Be a Truck Driver Right Now
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