Tesla targets long-haul loads with speedy electric Semi Truck

From the centrally-mounted driver’s seat flanked by touchscreens, to the swooping bodywork outside, Tesla’s first semi truck looks less like a lorry and more like a fighter plane. It’s all-electric, of course, with four motors delivering more power and speed than any diesel-powered truck – letting it hit 62mph in five seconds when running solo, or 20 seconds when towing a full load. Most diesel trucks take an entire minute to haul 36 tonnes of freight up to the same speed, and they don’t have any of Tesla’s fancy autonomy features to stop loads from jack-knifing. Range shouldn’t be a problem, with 500 miles between charges looking likely, and Tesla’s own Megachargers can add 400 miles in around half an hour. Production will kick off in 2019, so you could be seeing one on the road sooner than you think.

Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

About

A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

Areas of expertise

Smartphones/tablets/computing, cameras, home cinema, automotive, virtual reality, gaming