Tesla Semi electric truck

by Jolyon: California

Tesla’s electric semi-truck might be the most overlooked story of the year. After years of delays, the company has begun taking orders for its heavy-duty electric truck, and the figures show why it matters. The 500-mile version costs around $290,000, significantly less than the $400,000+ price tag of electric trucks from Daimler and Volvo, while offering longer range and faster charging. Demand is already high. California trucking firms have applied for state subsidies to purchase more than 1,200 Tesla Semis, which is more than all other electric truck applications in the state combined since 2019. The timing is also advantageous. Diesel prices have risen roughly 50% since the conflict with Iran began, making electricity per mile far cheaper than the alternative. The new assembly line in Sparks, Nevada is designed to produce up to 50,000 trucks per year. This follows the same playbook as the Model S a decade ago. Established players dismissed Tesla and then spent billions trying to catch up. The pattern is repeating now. Source: NYT.