The Tesla Semi will be available to buy worldwide according to Elon Musk.
The announcement made by the Tesla CEO on X, the social media platform better known as Twitter he acquired in October 2022, comes after DHL issued a media release this week endorsing a trial it completed over the North American summer with its supply partners.
The trial vehicle averaged 1.72 kWh/mile operating at speeds exceeding 80 km/h on average for over half its time on the road.“The result exceeded our expectations and even Tesla’s own rating,” DHL noted.
DHL also confirmed the capability of the Tesla Semi to achieve 500 miles (or 800 kms) on a single charge with a full load equal to 34 tonnes.
The two-week trial covered 5,000 kilometres during normal duty cycles working from Livermore in California.
According to DHL, the trial included one long haul of 625km when it was able to confirm the Tesla Semi’s ability to carry typical DHL payloads over a long distance on a single charge.
“The Tesla Semi has real potential to disrupt the market and accelerate the much-needed transition to zero-emissions long-haul transport,” said Jim Monkmeyer, President of Transportation, DHL Supply Chain.
A slightly modified version of the Tesla Semi fit for EU regulations appeared at IAA Transportation in Hannover last month.
“Maximising range and efficiency is crucial to proving that long haul electric vehicles can perform equivalent work to diesel,” said Graham Carroll, Head of Business Development, Tesla Semi.
“We’re excited to see DHL confirm the benefits of the Semi’s advanced technology and driver-centric features in live commercial operations.”
The test also gave DHL the opportunity to canvas drivers for their impressions while operating the vehicle.
“We were encouraged by how quickly they gained confidence with the vehicle and leveraged the Tesla’s smart features to help improve performance, comfort, and the overall driver experience,” the company said.
Following the successful trial phase, DHL Supply Chain USA said it was now carefully planning on how to best integrate the battery electric trucks into its network as Tesla gears up for large-scale production of the Semi in 2026.
Last year the Australian Government announced it was increasing the maximum width of trucks by 50mm to 2.55 metres on the proviso a vehicle is fitted with the latest advanced safety systems.
Prior to this truck widths in Australia were considered an obstacle by Musk as he sought possible entry into the local market.
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