Tesla Semi secures record 2,500-truck order from Microsoft and PepsiCo alliance
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
An alliance of shippers including Microsoft and PepsiCo placed a record order for 2,500 Tesla Semi electric trucks, with deliveries starting this year and continuing through the next 18 months. The order would nearly double the number of heavy-duty electric trucks on US roads. The deal comes as US diesel prices hit record highs amid the Iran War, while the Trump administration has cut billions in federal support for electric vehicles.
Key Facts
- The order for 2,500 Tesla Semis was placed by an alliance of shippers including Microsoft and PepsiCo.
- Deliveries are scheduled to start this year and continue through the next 18 months.
- The order would nearly double the number of heavy-duty electric trucks on US roads today.
- US diesel prices hit record highs this month, nearly double from this time last year, amid the Iran War.
- The Trump administration cut billions in federal support for electric vehicles last year.
The Record Order
An alliance of shippers including Microsoft and PepsiCo placed a record-setting order for 2,500 Tesla Semis. Deliveries are set to begin this year and continue through the next 18 months. If those trucks reach customers, they would nearly double the number of heavy-duty electric trucks on US roads today. The group selected Tesla trucks over competitors after assessing price, performance, production capability, and service support, according to Meena Bibra, a spokesperson for the nonprofit Smart Freight Centre. Pooling demand among many carriers allowed the electric automakers to bring down the prices of the new trucks, the group said.
Market Context
US diesel prices hit record highs this month as the Iran War continues to disrupt oil production and shipping in the Middle East. Prices are up nearly double from this time last year. Musk said in his pre-taped address that the truck is going to make a ton of sense economically because the cost of electricity is much less than the cost of diesel, especially in these crazy times. The Trump administration and the GOP cut billions in federal support for electric vehicles last year. The administration is also working to lower fuel economy standards for truck engines, which would have required manufacturers to hit aggressive climate goals.
Technology and Autonomy
Full Self-Driving (Supervised), Tesla's driver assistance feature, will not yet be available on the Semi. Musk said in his address that it would debut in the very near future. The feature's predecessor technology, Enhanced Autopilot, was promised during the initial 2017 rollout. Heavy trucks alone account for some 7 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions.
2 sources
Time · lag behind first