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Tesla Semi glides over to Addison, IL for hands-on time with UPS employees

[Credit: IllinoisUPSers/Twitter]

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7 years ago

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Not long after visiting J.B. Hunt’s headquarters in Arkansas and getting spotted at Chicago’s Rolling Meadows Supercharger, the Tesla Semi has been sighted visiting UPS’ hub in Addison, IL. Just like its previous visits to the facilities of other reservation holders, UPS employees were given a chance to get some hands-on experience with the electric long-hauler.

Images and video clips of the Semi’s visit to the UPS Addison hub were uploaded by the parcel service’s official Twitter account in the state, @IllinoisUPSers. Pictures of the event uploaded on Monday show that Tesla’s VP for Truck and Programs Jerome Guillen accompanied the vehicle during its visit as well. One of the videos uploaded by UPS further referenced “rides,” which suggest that Tesla might have given some lucky employees a chance to experience the Semi firsthand.

https://twitter.com/IllinoisUPSers/status/1034163909484335105

https://twitter.com/IllinoisUPSers/status/1034162962611752970

Tesla appears to be starting its push for the Tesla Semi to its reservation holders. As of the Q1 2018 earnings call last May, Tesla has revealed that it has around 2,000 pre-orders for the vehicle. The company has not announced an updated number of reservations for the Semi yet, though Tesla did state during the Q2 2018 earnings call that the electric truck had now been given several improvements since its unveiling last year. Real-world tests of the vehicle are continuing as well, with the all-electric truck being spotted across several states in the US.

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While there have been numerous sightings of the Semi since the vehicle was unveiled last November, the recent batch of sightings also indicates that Tesla personnel accompanying and operating the truck are now very willing to answer questions about the vehicle. As noted by Tesla enthusiast @Rec1pr0city on Twitter, the company’s employees answered every question about the Semi and openly allowed photos to be taken while the truck was making a stopover at Rolling Hills Supercharger in Chicago. Coupled with what appears to be an increasing frequency of visits to reservation holders, it appears that Tesla is now starting to increase its push for the electric truck.

The Tesla Semi at UPS’ Addison, IL hub. [Credit: IllinoisUPSers/Twitter]

The Tesla Semi could very well be the company’s most disruptive vehicle in its lineup. The American trucking industry is vast, responsible for handling the transportation of up to 71% of food, retail goods, construction supplies, as well as other cargo delivered to customers and businesses every day — and it continues to grow by the year. In 2017 alone, the US trucking industry generated $700.3 billion in economic activity, a 3.5% increase compared to the $676.6 billion it made in 2016. This is a market that Tesla could tap into with the Semi.

That said, there remains a number of dedicated doubters who are betting against the Tesla Semi. In a recent statement to Bloomberg, Jon Mills, a spokesman for Cummins Inc., a prominent engine-maker, argued that all-electric trucks like the Semi still have a long way to go before they can be considered as a real competition for diesel trucks. Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum trade group, is also highly skeptical of the Semi’s quoted specs and operating costs. According to the diesel veteran, Elon Musk’s quotes for the Semi’s estimated $1.26 per mile operating cost have no proof.

The Tesla Semi might look very sleek and futuristic, but it is a vehicle designed from the ground up to be a tough machine. The Semi is equipped with four Model 3-derived electric motors, which give the vehicle instant torque and a 0-60 mph time of 5 seconds without cargo. The long-hauler is also classified as a Class 8 truck, which allows it to haul as much load as conventional diesel trucks. Tesla also listed a range of 300-500 miles per charge for the Semi, though Elon Musk has since noted that the truck’s long-range variant would probably have closer to 600 miles of range per charge.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Cybertruck

Tesla clears the air on Cybertruck ‘deactivation’ video that is obviously fake

Tesla has cleared the air on the viral video, stating it is fake.

Published

16 hours ago

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August 11, 2025

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Credit: Cybertruck | X

Tesla has cleared the air regarding a video that has been circulating, where the owner claims his Cybertruck was “deactivated” by the company while he was driving.

The video was shared on X and showed a driver pulled over on the side of the road, claiming his Cybertruck had been deactivated by Tesla in the middle of traffic. It is very obviously fake to those who know the company, but these kinds of things have a tendency to pick up steam.

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The video shows a screen that says:

“Tesla Cybertruck De-Activated. Critical Issue Detected | Contact Customer Service, Comply with Cease & Desist to Re-Activate. Update Failed, Return to Dealer.”

The same person who posted the video also shared an image of what appears to be a Cease and Desist letter from Tesla, but it is also likely fake:

The company finally responded to the video on Monday afternoon, stating that the video is, in fact, fake, reiterating that it will not disable vehicles remotely for any reason.

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It is a shame that these types of things happen, especially as people are prone to believe anything they see on the internet. As there is so much misinformation circulating surrounding Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk, it is no surprise that someone would leverage the situation for their own benefit.

If that Cease and Desist letter is not real, perhaps the next one might be. These types of things can truly cause damage to a company’s reputation, and someone getting an idea that Tesla would remotely deactivate a car could prevent them from buying one.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk is stepping up for Tesla Service in a big way

Elon Musk has stepped up to resolve a handful of customer issues regarding vehicle service.

Published

17 hours ago

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August 11, 2025

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tesla service
Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk is stepping up to help customers in a big way, especially when they are having issues with Tesla’s Service.

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages Tesla owners have is access to Musk through X, his social media platform. Over the years, we’ve seen Tesla add features, refine its cars’ performance, and more, all through asking Musk directly through a post.

Now, Musk is stepping up in another way by resolving a few Service complaints that customers had.

The first occurred last week when a recall on a Tesla battery was not honored by Service. The company sought $30,000 for a replacement and labor, which was not right. Musk responded that he would personally investigate the matter. The vehicle was fixed at no cost as it was a recall, and was ready for pickup the next day.

It also revealed a new strategy Tesla is using to combat service communication issues:

Tesla creates clever solution to simplify and improve its Service

The next occurred with a Cybertruck owner who was in Japan. Their car was parked at an airport in the U.S. and had lost a vast majority of its state of charge, leaving them just fifty miles of range at the time.

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Musk reached out to the owner and said Service will take care of the car and will investigate the cause of the battery drain:

There are not too many companies out there where the CEO will get involved with individual issues like these. It’s pretty exclusive to Tesla, as Musk has commonly stepped up to resolve complaints with vehicles or to confront features that some owners might find useful.

Service has been a weak point of the company for some time, but it has worked to refine and resolve customer complaints by building more Service Centers across the world that can handle these issues.

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Elon Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirms Robotaxi is opening to the public: here’s when

Anyone will be able to request a Tesla Robotaxi in September, Elon Musk said this morning.

Published

19 hours ago

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August 11, 2025

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that the company’s Robotaxi platform is opening to the public, and he even gave a timeline for when anyone will be able to access one for a ride.

Tesla’s Robotaxi platform launched to a small group on June 22 in Austin, Texas. The company has continued to expand the number of riders and its geofence over the past month and a half.

Tesla officially launches Robotaxi service with no driver

Additionally, it launched rides in the Bay Area of California, but it differs slightly, as the Texas Robotaxi platform does not utilize a Safety Monitor in the driver’s seat. In California, the monitor sits in the driver’s seat.

As the geofence, service areas, and testing populations expand, Tesla fans are awaiting their elusive emails that enable their ability to use the Robotaxi platform. It now seems that the email will come soon, as Musk said Tesla will open up public access to Robotaxi next month:

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Tesla has been prioritizing safety over anything else with the launch of the Robotaxi platform, which is why it has been slow to push invitations to new riders. It is confident in the abilities of the platform and its Full Self-Driving suite, which has been proven with data.

However, even a single accident could set Tesla back years in terms of its development of self-driving cars. It is not a risk it is willing to take.

Musk said during the recent Q2 Earnings Call:

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“We need to make sure it works when the vehicles are fully under our control. It’s kind of one step at a time here. We don’t want to jump the gun. As I said, we’re being paranoid about safety. But I guess next year is I’d say confidently next year. I’m not sure when next year, but confidently next year, people would be able to add or subtract their car to the Tesla, Inc. fleet.”

As the platform will expand in Austin and the Bay Area for anyone, Tesla still continues to reiterate that Robotaxi will be available for everyone sometime next year, as Musk said in the quote above.

Things will continue to improve over time, and Tesla will likely expand its geofence in both regions in the coming weeks. It has already done that in Austin twice, with about a doubling in size occurring both times.

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