The Tesla Semi is one of the most anticipated electric heavy vehicles in the U.S., but so far, production of this model seems far from being on the right track.
Launched in 2017, the Semi arrived on the market several years late, and until now, the company has produced only a small number of the 100% electric heavy vehicle. However, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has now reinforced through social media that the company plans to increase production at the factory in Nevada, USA, starting next year.
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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2025
Tesla Semi will be in volume production next year
“The Tesla Semi will be in mass production next year”, Musk said on X (formerly Twitter), thus responding to a post that referenced Bill Gates’ opinion that 100% electric models will likely “never be suitable for heavy vehicles. Electricity works when it is necessary to cover short distances, but we need a different solution for long-distance heavy vehicles”.
In addition to a competitive purchase price, Tesla bets on the efficiency of the Semi, which can be equipped with batteries that have a range of approximately 480/800 km. The propulsion system consists of three electric motors. With the right technology, Tesla claims that the battery can be charged up to 70% of its capacity in 30 minutes.
The American logistics company ArcBest recently tested the Semi for three weeks on typical transport routes in California. During the pilot project, a total of approximately 7,232 kilometers was covered. This represents an average of 517 kilometers per day. The measured energy efficiency was 0.96 kWh per kilometer.
These values are below those announced by PepsiCo, which also has units of the Tesla Semi in its fleet, which announced 1.1 kWh per kilometer.
However, according to ArcBest, the use of the Tesla Semi revealed that the project requires better charging infrastructure for longer distances.
