Tesla Semi: delivering a disruptive electric truck
Tesla delivered its first Tesla Semi electric trucks to customers and revealed details of its production version of the vehicle – delivering on a 5-year-old promise.
Today, the company held its Tesla Semi Delivery Event in Nevada.
As expected, Tesla delivered the first electric trucks to Pepsico, a long-time reservation holder, and held a presentation to reveal more details about the production version of the Tesla Semi.
There wasn’t any big surprise during the presentation.
Tesla basically delivered on its original promises made in 2017 when it first unveiled the prototypes of the Tesla Semi.
Despite the lack of major changes, it’s still a big moment since the electric truck has the potential to change the trucking industry for good by eliminating emissions and significantly reducing costs.
The company started out by explaining why it is going from making consumer electric vehicles to an electric class 8 truck. That’s pretty simple: even if semi trucks only account for about 1% of vehicles in the US, they account for about 20% of emissions:
Obviously, battery-electric class 8 trucks have an opportunity to greatly reduce those numbers.
But they need to be just as if not more capable than diesel semi trucks in order to take over the market, and that’s exactly what Tesla claims to be delivering.
In terms of the technology powering the truck, things have changed since the original prototypes, but not in any major ways.
Tesla is now using a tri-motor drivetrain that is basically the same as in the Model S and Model X Plaid.
Dan Priestley, Tesla Semi Program Manager, explained that Tesla is using one of the motor for cruising speed geared toward peak efficiency at highway speeds and the two other motors are used for torque when accelerating in order to create a smooth driving experience never seen in a class 8 truck before.
To prove the capacity, Tesla shared a very impressive video of a Tesla Semi loaded at 82,000 lbs passing a diesel truck at 6% incline on the Donner Pass as if it’s nothing:
Ok, it’s powerful, but it can it travel long distances. Well, yes it can. Tesla promised a range of 500 miles with a full load 5 years ago and it delivered on the promise.
Tesla shared data on a 500-mile trip with a full load of just under 82,000 lbs total with the tractor. It started out in the Bay Area with a 97% state of charge and ended up in San Diego with still 4% charge:
Tesla reiterated that it can achieve a less than 2 kWh per mile efficiency, which means that trucking companies can achieve up to $70,000 in fuel savings per year depending on their cost of electricity.
Once the battery pack is depleted after 500 miles or so, you can expect blazing-fast charging thanks to the new 1-megawatt charging technology developed by Tesla. The automaker also said it will make it to the Cybertruck.
I felt like I was back in 2012 with the event as Elon Musk was again listing some basic benefits of electric vehicles that people coming from internal combustion engines wouldn’t necessarily be familiar with, like truck drivers who haven’t had the opportunity to go electric just yet.
Things like regenerative braking, which can greatly improve safety in trucks, and the millisecond reaction time of electric motors resulting in great traction control.
Tesla also unveiled several quality-of-life features for Tesla Semi drivers like an automatic suspension dump for easy latching to trailers, a cabin that you can stand in, and easy light checks for inspections.
There’s no doubt that the interior of the vehicle is cool and quite a change compared to most diesel trucks on the market today.
Now these machines are in the hands of customers for the first time starting with Pepsico/Frito Lay.
Electrek’s Take
There was no major surprise out of the event aside from maybe that the Cybertruck will have the same charging technology, but that’s not really about the Tesla Semi.
It felt like was more about delivering on the promises made 5 years ago and they mostly did that to their credit.
There are only two major points that Tesla didn’t discuss that I think are important and we should know about: the price and the weight.
Tesla didn’t update the price, which originally was $200,000. I have a feeling that it might have changed after 5 years, but no word from Tesla about it.
The other thing is the weight of the actual tractor, which is critical since the weight of the tractor dictates the weight of the load and the load is the trucking business. How much a truck can carry means how much money a trip can make up to a certain degree.
Class 8 trucks have total limit (truck plus trailer with load) of 80,000 lbs and the tractor itself weight between 12,000 and 25,000 lbs depending on the model. The difference is what it can carry.
Tesla only mentioned a total weight of 82,000 lbs (electric trucks are allowed an extra 2,000 lbs) during the event, but it never confirmed the weight of the Tesla Semi or load capacity. It would be important information to have.
Aside from the lack of those two important pieces of information, I feel like the event was impressive and Tesla might have a new very disruptive product on its hands.
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Kia is extending one of its biggest promotions yet, knocking over $10,000 off every EV in its lineup.
Kia knocks $10,000 off EV models
Who said electric vehicles would get more expensive after the $7,500 federal tax credit ended? Kia must not have gotten the memo.
Last month, Kia launched a new promotion, offering a $10,000 customer cash discount for all EVs, including the EV6, EV9, and Niro EV. The discount knocks nearly 25% off MSRP on Kia’s cheapest model, the Niro EV. On the entry-level EV6, it’s 23% off MSRP, while $10,000 off the EV9 is about an 18% discount.
The discounts ended on December 1, but Kia has extended them for at least another month. During its Season of New Tradition sales event, Kia is now offering even more savings.
The 2025 Kia EV6 and Niro EV are now eligible for up to $11,000 in customer cash, including a $10,000 cash back offer and a $1,000 retail bonus cash discount.
If you’re looking for something a little bigger, the 2026 EV9, Kia’s three-row electric SUV, is available with up to $10,500 in bonus cash.
If you choose to finance, Kia is offering 0% APR for up to 72 months, plus $3,500 APR Bonus Cash on the EV6 and Niro EV. The larger EV9 is available with 0% APR for up to 60 months with a $3,000 APR Bonus Cash offer.
The 2025 Kia Niro EV and EV6 are available to lease, starting at $209 and $309 per month for 24 months. The 2026 EV9 is listed with monthly leases starting at $419.
The new sales event comes after Hyundai extended its EV promotions, keeping the IONIQ 5 as one of the most affordable EV leases in the US, starting at just $189 per month.
Kia’s Seasons of New Traditions sales event runs until January 2, 2026. Some deals may vary by region. You can see offers near you by using the links at the bottom.
Interested in test-driving one for yourself? We can help see what’s available in your area. Check out our links below to find Kia and Hyundai EVs near you.
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New Holland’s already excellent C314 mini track loader is even better for 2026 thanks to the debut of a new, all electric version that offers quiet, low maintenance, and emission-free running for round-the-clock operation.
State and federal governments may still be hashing out emissions laws and ZEV requirements, but it’s the municipal governments that write quiet our laws and noise ordinances, and it’s those laws that construction crews are struggling to work around as they bid for lucrative urban jobs. New Holland understands those construction customers’ needs, and its new C314X Electric mini track loader (announced at last month’s Agritechnica) is designed specifically for them.
“We launched the C314 two years ago, and it has become known for its excellent features,” says Francesca Asteggiano, Europe Construction Brands. “Today, we’re developing an electric version to meet growing demand for quieter, more compact machines — reinforcing our commitment to sustainability and innovation.”
C314X Electric
New Holland’s C314X Electric is designed and built in-house as the zero-emission evolution of the diesel-powered C314, and is powered by a 23.5 kWh li-ion battery that sends power to three electric motors — two drive motors and a single hydraulic motor for the boom.
The company says the new C314X has a rated operating capacity that matches the diesel unit at 460 kg (~1014 lbs.) and a hinge pin height of 2.2 m (~7.2 ft.).
Though still “just a prototype” at this point, CASE and New Holland products have a history of making it to production. If when it does, company reps say it will be available in two undercarriage configurations, a “narrow track” version 890 mm wide that can fit through garden gates and man doors, and wide track version 1026 mm wide for heavier duty outdoor and agricultural work.
The stand-on machine uses controls that will be familiar to any mini loader operator — especially those with experience behind the controls of the diesel C314 — and all the implements and attachments that work on the diesel version bolt up to the C314X Electric, making it ideal (the company says) for livestock and horticultural farmers, landscape contractors and residential construction operations, thanks to multiple compatible attachments to ensure full versatility to dig, load, drill, and more.
Stay tuned for pricing and availability, likely set to be announced during ConExpo 2026.
SOURCE | IMAGES: New Holland.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Tesla allowing texting and driving on FSD v14, Trump killing CAFE’s MPG standard, an Aptera update, and more.
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