Tesla Semi production is delayed until 2021 — electric truck now 2 years late
From Electrek:
Tesla confirmed that the production of the Tesla Semi, its electric semi truck, has been delayed until 2021 — now making the vehicle program two years behind schedule.
At the unveiling of the Tesla Semi in 2017, the automaker said that the electric truck would be coming in 2019, but the vehicle has since been pushed to “low-volume production in late 2020.”
With the release of its Q1 2020 results, Tesla gave its usual product update.
The automaker stated that all its programs are still on pace — except for Tesla Semi slipping into 2021:
We expect that production of both Model Y in Fremont and Model 3 in Shanghai will continue to ramp gradually through Q2. We are continuing to build capacity for Model Y at Gigafactory Berlin and Gigafactory Shanghai and remain on track to start deliveries from both locations in 2021. Lastly, we are shifting our first Tesla Semi deliveries to 2021.
Earlier this week, CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla will give an update on the new Roadster and Tesla Semi truck later this year.
Last we heard anything about the Tesla Semi program, Tesla completed its winter testing program for the electric semi truck and it was planning to build the vehicle out of Gigafactory Nevada, where it secured a lease on a large building near the plant to help with production.
Tesla has secured thousands of orders for the new electric truck, which the company claims will have up to 500 miles of range and an industry-leading cost of operation of just $1.26 per mile.
The long-range version will start at $180,000, while Tesla is also planning a shorter range version starting at $150,000.
In the past, Musk said that Tesla has found opportunities to extend that range during testing, and he said that the Tesla Semi production version will have closer to 600 miles of range.
More information is expected to be released during the update that Tesla is apparently planning for later this year.