Elon Musk Says Tesla Semi Is Finally in Production, and Pepsi Gets the First One

Image: Steve DaSilva, Photo: Tesla, Graphic: Pepsico

Five years after Elon Musk unveiled the Tesla Semi to the world, a few of them will finally be making it into a customer’s hands. Better late than never, I suppose.

Musk made the announcement – as is tradition — on Twitter, a place he may or may not own at some point in the future. After years of waiting, PepsiCo will be the first company to receive the electric trucks.

Up until last November, Pepsi still thought it was going to get a Semi in 2021. It… didn’t.

In the same tweet, Musk also announced that Tesla has started production of the truck for other customers.

It’s the newest member of Tesla’s fleet, and probably will be for some time. Maybe the Cybertruck will be out soon (it won’t) to change that.

Anyway, the Semi was supposed to hit the market back in 2019, but delays and, you know… Tesla kept that from happening. It’s been pushed back a year just about every year.

Bloomberg reports that Tesla pushed back the Semi in or to prioritize Model 3 and Model Y production while also dealing with battery cell and semiconductor supply chain issues.

In January, Musk told analysts Tesla wouldn’t roll out any new models this year because of parts constraints. He changed his tune three days after the US Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which made heavy-duty electric trucks eligible for as much as $40,000 federal tax credits. The chief executive officer tweeted on Aug. 10 that the company would start shipping Semis with 500 miles of range this year.

Damn, did he get in right under the wire. Other companies that also have orders in the books for Semis are reportedly Walmart and Anheuser-Bush.

So, if Musk is to be believed, the Tesla Semi is finally here. Let us rejoice in a promise (sort of) kept.