According to Tesla, the Semi can go anywhere between 300 to 500 miles on a charge and is powered by three electric motors not dissimilar to the powerplant found in passenger Tesla vehicles like the Model X. It also boasts a 0-60 miles per hour speed of 20 seconds while fully loaded. Per Tesla’s website, the Semi is capable of moving under its own power while clocking in at 82,000 pounds gross combination weight. That includes the weight of the truck itself.
How does this stack up against diesel-powered semis? In this case, Tesla’s Semi is helped out by Uncle Sam. By law, semi-trucks are only allowed to weigh 80,000 fully loaded (via JDPower). Anything weighing more than that has to be transported by rail or other means. Even if a diesel truck was capable of carrying over 80,000, that’s a moot point as it wouldn’t be able to legally transport that load.
While the Tesla Semi can definitively haul with the best of the diesel trucks, it’s up to the company to actually deliver, both figuratively and literally.
