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Tesla launches high-volume Semi production
Program chief Dan Priestley promises 1,000 trucks a week
The first production Semi rolled off the assembly line at the Reno, Nev., plant April 29. (Tesla via X)
Key Takeaways:
- Tesla launched high-volume production of the Class 8 battery-electric Semi at its Reno, Nev., factory on Sept. 24.
- The company said the plant can produce up to 50,000 trucks annually and aims to build 1,000 trucks a week.
- Tesla said its pilot fleet has logged 17.5 million miles and future deliveries will include major fleet customers.
Tesla launched high-volume production of its Class 8 battery-electric Semi tractor Sept. 24 at its factory in Reno, Nev., with plans to build 1,000 trucks a week, Semi program chief Dan Priestley said.
The Reno plant can produce up to 50,000 trucks a year, according to Tesla. The first production Semi rolled off the line April 29.
“This is not just a general assembly facility. It is as close as we can to get to raw material in, finished product out,” Priestley said. Nearly all metal components are pressed on-site, and Tesla manufactures its own plastic parts as it seeks to reduce costs, control quality and improve reliability, the OEM said.
The facility sits alongside Tesla’s Giga Nevada operation, the company’s largest battery factory.
Tesla celebrated the production launch with an invitation-only “Semi Rollout” event. CEO Elon Musk did not attend because he was scheduled to attend a White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Musk appeared via video message, telling attendees the Semi is “almost like a sports car to drive” and that a self-driving option is expected in the “very near future.”
Semi is here
Today, we're launching high volume production pic.twitter.com/QQjYDmcPsf— Tesla Semi (@tesla_semi) September 25, 2026
The executive also promoted the potential benefits of autonomous trucking, saying it could allow drivers to arrive at destinations more refreshed while reducing fuel costs.
Autonomous Semi development
During Tesla’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call July 22, Musk said the company expects to accelerate development of autonomous Semis late in 2026 or early in 2027.
Tesla made numerous changes to the truck during development and fleet testing, Priestley said. Among them was a shift from hydraulic to fully electric power steering, a move he said prepares the vehicle for autonomous operation. Other upgrades include a lighter 4680-based battery pack and a bar-wound stator.
“It is the most precise steering system I have ever seen on a Class 8 truck,” Tesla vehicle engineering chief Lars Moravy said.
Priestley added that the truck’s turning radius is similar to that of Tesla’s Model Y SUV, providing greater maneuverability in urban environments.
Simplified system
Tesla also simplified the drive-axle lubrication system. Production models eliminate oil in the hub, while the gearbox and motor share a common lubricant. That oil will last more than 250,000 miles, Moravy said.
The company also learned that truck operators preferred a roll-down window over the pop-out design used in earlier iterations, Priestley said. Some observers, however, remain skeptical about the central seating position when drivers need to interact with customers, law enforcement officers or gate personnel.
Tesla was selected as the primary OEM for the largest electric Class 8 order in the US by ZET SCALE, a new shippers’ alliance
With 2,500 Semis on order, this will double the entire US electric Class 8 fleet
We’re serious about scale, and ZET SCALE is too!… pic.twitter.com/IiTAdzgken— Tesla Semi (@tesla_semi) September 22, 2026
Tesla will offer two versions of the tractor.
The standard model will have a range of about 325 miles, while the long-range version is expected to travel about 500 miles. The standard truck has a curb weight of less than 20,000 pounds; the long-range model weighs about 23,000 pounds.
Tesla’s pilot fleet of about 180 trucks has accumulated 17.5 million miles of real-world testing, company officials said.
Ready and waiting
Among the fleets expected to receive the first production trucks:
Nevoya
IMC Logistics
US Foods
Einride
ABF Freight
OK Produce
HMD Trucking
Lincoln Transportation Services
WattEV
DHL Supply Chain
Branded Semis from several fleets were visible around the facility during the event.
IMC Logistics Pacific Region President Jim Gillis said in a social media post that the company expects to receive 34 Semis before the end of 2026.
Tesla also secured its largest Semi order just days before the production launch, winning a request for proposals covering as many as 2,500 trucks from a coalition backed by a group of shippers. The nonprofits that organized the coalition said deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Tesla is expected to deliver all 2,500 trucks within 18 months, according to a spokeswoman for Catalyst Mobility, which organized the procurement effort with fellow nonprofit Smart Freight Centre.
Just over a week earlier, the Semi made its European debut, marking Tesla’s challenge to established commercial vehicle manufacturers there. Customer deliveries in Europe are targeted for late 2027, and the truck is expected to closely resemble the standard-range North American model.
Meanwhile, Tesla is building a North American mobile maintenance network and plans to provide over-the-air software updates.
“The best part is no part. The best maintenance is no maintenance,” Priestley said.
Tesla expects 30 megacharger sites to be operational in the United States by the end of 2026, providing more than 200 megawatt charging posts, Priestley said. The company also sells chargers for depot-based operations.
“Wherever we are going to put trucks, we will also put chargers,” Priestley said.
