This summer, following years of delays, Tesla Motors plans to commence volume deliveries of its Semi truck from its Nevada Gigafactory. According to a recent report from Tigress Financial Partners, the company anticipates delivering between 5,000 and 15,000 Semis in 2026, with annual production expected to ramp up to 50,000 units thereafter.
Surprisingly, Tesla is winning over a notoriously hard-to-please yet influential group: truck drivers. Drivers who have piloted the Semi in trial tests report appreciating the central driving position, faster charging speeds, and the longer range—which comes at a price approximately $100,000 lower than other all-electric trucks.
When Tesla first announced the Semi project nearly a decade ago, it was seen as a transformative opportunity for the heavy-duty trucking industry, much like how the affordable and versatile Model 3 popularized electric passenger vehicles.
However, since then, Tesla's focus has shifted towards services involving artificial intelligence, robotics, and the autonomous Cybercab. Furthermore, in the United States, the automotive and transport markets have largely moved away from battery-electric power since the Trump administration rolled back electric vehicle subsidies and relaxed fuel economy regulations.
Tesla states that the Semi charges up to four times faster than other all-electric trucks, reaching a 60% charge in just 30 minutes. While this is still slower than refueling a diesel truck, it represents significant progress for electric vehicles.
According to Tesla, the Semi can travel up to 500 miles on a single charge.
California, home to the nation's busiest port complex in Los Angeles-Long Beach, is also a central hub for the zero-emission trucking industry, although its multi-year push to transition drivers from diesel to clean trucks has stalled. In January 2025, anticipating opposition from the incoming Trump administration, California rescinded a mandate requiring carriers to purchase clean trucks. The following month, struggling zero-emission truck manufacturer Nikola filed for bankruptcy, leaving carriers with vehicles that are difficult to maintain and, for hydrogen fuel cell models, extremely costly to refuel.
A prolonged freight slump, rising labor costs, and trade uncertainties due to tariffs have prompted trucking companies to delay vehicle purchases. This has made them even more reluctant to invest in all-electric trucks, which can cost triple their diesel counterparts, require hours to charge, and offer a range of only about 200 miles.
Despite this, a California program offering subsidies to trucking companies for purchasing zero-emission vehicles sold out rapidly when it reopened last year, according to Nikki Okuke, Director of Truck and Off-Road Vehicles at the nonprofit Calstart, which manages the program. She attributed this surge in interest largely to the new Tesla Semi.
Over the past six months, California trucking firms have received a total of $195 million in subsidies to purchase 1,002 Semis, according to Calstart data.
This figure represents roughly double the current number of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks operating in Southern California, based on data from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Tesla produces two versions of the Semi with ranges of 325 miles and 500 miles, respectively. The company has not publicly disclosed the Semi's price and did not respond to requests for comment. Companies that have placed orders are bound by non-disclosure agreements. However, people familiar with the matter indicate the price is under $300,000, approximately double the cost of a diesel truck.