Tesla is set to deliver its highly-anticipated all-electric Semi today for the first time. Will the truck live up to the hype?
Roughly two months ago, CEO Elon Musk announced Tesla would deliver the Semi to Frito Lay locations in California following the vehicle’s acquisition of an EPA Certificate of Conformity. Tesla and Musk had previously teased the ‘imminent’ arrival of the Semi for several years, but the hype of this year can only be slightly equated to the energy that Tesla and Frito Lay expressed last year: both had confirmed deliveries in December 2021, only for the trucks to never make it to their destination.
Fast forward a year, and what has changed? For starters, last year, Tesla did not earn an EPA certification for the Semi, which is required by law. The fact that Tesla finally received this certification and set up a special delivery event in Nevada can only lead Musk’s loyal believers and even skeptics to believe that the Semi is finally here, and it seems that it really is.
Excited to announce start of production of Tesla Semi Truck with deliveries to @Pepsi on Dec 1st! pic.twitter.com/gq0l73iGRW
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 6, 2022
Now that the Semi is finally here, or will be in a few hours from when this article is published, the real questions begin to surface: Will it really change the trucking industry? How does the Semi match up to Class 8 EVs already on the market? How long will it take to get one?
Will it really change the trucking industry?
The Tesla Semi is no doubt a huge development in the world of EV trucking. Will it change the industry? If it can live up to its astronomical range predictions, which are rumored to be around 500 miles when pulling an 81,000-pound load, it surely can raise the bar for competitors. The currently offered EV trucks on the market from Volvo, Freightliner, and Nikola offer significantly less in terms of range on a full charge. However, many of these trucks are geared toward local or regional logistics.
The Semi is definitely different than the others. A breakdown of the Semi vs. other trucks on the market below will break it down further. Where Tesla has set itself apart from competitors is in terms of tech, and just looking at the Semi, you know it’s different from the rest. The throne is set in the center of the cabin, dual monitors will track data and analytics for performance while offering basic features like navigation. Whether it is better or not, well, we’ll have to wait for some trucking experts drive it for a while.
How does the Semi match up to Class 8 EVs already on the market?
The Volvo VNR’s highest-range trim is its 6×4 Tractor, which packs 275 miles of range when configured with its six-battery offering. It also is capable of regenerating between 5 and 15 percent of its energy through braking. It has a top speed of 68 MPH, and is an ideal fit for “Local distribution and regional transportation with planned routes and frequent stops,” especially food service delivery, Volvo said. This may be why McDonald’s Canada ordered a few.
The Freightliner eCascadia just was delivered for the first time this week, with Penske commemorating first deliveries. This truck packs a 230-mile range rating with its top-of-the-line offering. Freightliner only offers a day cab, and with the range specs, it would also be ideal for local or regional deliveries. Its 80 percent charging in 90 minutes will keep deliveries going without much of a delay.
Nikola’s Tre offers 330 miles of range, the most impressive number thus far. Nikola has ramped up production of the Tre recently to reach 75 units in Q3. Arguably the best competitor to the Tesla Semi, the Tre may not offer charging speeds as fast as the eCascadia (80 percent charge in 160 minutes), but its impressive range ratings make it more applicable for longer routes.
The Semi offers the best of all of these, along with a 500-mile range rating, according to recent tests performed by Tesla. At first glance, the Semi just seems like a market-leading version of most Class 8 EVs on the market. Tesla still leans on self-driving and autonomous trucking as where the Semi will truly set itself apart from competitors. It may be some time before truckers can let the Semi drive them between hubs.
For what it’s worth, we received several emails from readers who were skeptical of the 500-mile claim from Musk. We were asked several times whether the trip was taken on a single charge.
How long will it take to get a Tesla Semi?
Tesla Semi production could reach 100 units this year, company Chair Robyn Denholm said. Next year, Tesla wants to build 50,000.
The potential production rate of 50,000 units is nothing to bat an eye at. However, Tesla has some big plans for 2023, and they include ramping Cybertruck production at Gigafactory Texas, a potential revamp of the Model 3 in Fremont, and more production in Germany and China. The Semi will undoubtedly reach higher production rates next year, but it will be difficult to scale production of a fresh vehicle this quickly.
Battery availability also comes into question, as it was the issue that kept the Semi from being built two years ago when Musk announced volume production would kick off. Tesla is building a lot of cars and using a lot of batteries. We know Tesla isn’t using the 4680 cell for the Semi, which means the much more widely available 2170 cell will not limit the Semi’s production rate, at least not in my estimation.
How long it takes to get a Semi is purely reliant on how fast Tesla can scale production. Tesla has typically done a good job of scaling its passenger vehicles, but the Semi is a different animal.
Tesla’s Semi Delivery Event will take place this evening at Gigafactory Nevada in Reno.
Disclosure: Joey Klender is a TSLA Shareholder.
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Tesla has confirmed a crucial detail of its Miami Robotaxi launch, stating that the fleet is operating on an Unsupervised basis, joining a few other cities where company employees do not watch over the vehicles from inside.
Tesla’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, confirmed the detail on X, answering a highly speculated question about the Robotaxi Service in Miami, which was launched on June 3:
Unsupervised
— Ashok Elluswamy (@aelluswamy) July 3, 2026
The first launch of Robotaxi in Florida, Miami presents a unique opportunity for Tesla as it is operating the Unsupervised Robotaxi ride-hailing service in a major tourist hotspot in the Sunshine State. It also signals the suite will expand to other cities soon; many have requested Orlando, a heavy tourist spot with Disney and other resorts nearby, get access to the program soon as well.
Miami is getting a conservative rollout as well, just as Tesla has done with other cities. The initial geofence covers a compact 10–14 square mile zone in western Miami-Dade County, primarily West Miami extending toward Doral and Sweetwater. It is bounded roughly by SR-826 (Palmetto Expressway) to the north and US-41 (Tamiami Trail) to the south, excluding downtown Miami, Miami Beach, the airport, and most of Coral Gables.
Tesla has also been pretty slim on other details. For example, Tesla has not disclosed the exact fleet size, but field reports and license plate tracking indicate just two unsupervised Model Y vehicles were active on launch day, increasing to three within 48 hours.
According to The Road to Autonomy, a nearby staging lot near Miami International Airport holds dozens of Cybercabs alongside additional Model Y units, suggesting capacity for rapid scaling as demand and data collection grow.
The confirmation of Robotaxi being Unsupervised carries immense weight. It establishes that Tesla’s Miami Robotaxi operations run without human safety drivers or remote supervision, relying entirely on the company’s Full Self-Driving technology. Miami becomes the second major U.S. city after Austin to offer unsupervised Robotaxi rides from day one.
The move reflects rapid progress in Tesla’s AI efforts. Neural networks trained on vast real-world data now handle complex urban environments, including South Florida’s heavy traffic, pedestrians, and rainy conditions. Industry observers see it as validation of Tesla’s vision-centric, data-driven approach versus traditional rule-based systems; a truly unorthodox approach in this day and age.
Challenges remain, including regulatory oversight, public trust, and scaling the fleet to match geofence ambitions. Miami’s small initial footprint and limited vehicles highlight a deliberate, measured expansion strategy focused on safety and data gathering.
Nevertheless, the unsupervised confirmation marks a pivotal milestone. It showcases technical readiness and advances Tesla’s vision of transforming vehicles into autonomous revenue generators while reshaping urban mobility. For Miami users, driverless transportation has moved from concept to reality.
A California radiologist who drove his Tesla Model Y off a 250-foot cliff in an attempt to kill his family has had his charges dismissed after doctors say he is “doing well” in a mental health program.
Dharmesh Patel was charged with three counts of attempted murder in connection with a January 2023 crash where he drove his Tesla off a cliff, injuring his wife and two children, aged 7 and 4 at the time.
Patel drove the Tesla off Devil’s Slide in California, an area that is extremely rough to the point that investigators and rescuers expected the worst when arriving at the scene for the first time. Patel supposedly had schizoaffective disorder, according to Deputy District Attorney Dominique Davis.
Shockingly, Patel’s wife, who was in the vehicle, testified that she did not want her husband to be prosecuted, noting that their children missed their father and they wanted him to come back home. Patel’s attorney argued, “not everyone who commits a crime is a criminal.”
Doctor who took Tesla off cliff gets support from unlikely person
A three-day trial in Mental Health Diversion Court ruled in Patel’s favor, which kept him out of jail and instead on house arrest. He was admitted to a Mental Health Diversion Program, which he successfully completed, the Associated Press reported. San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said the judge was “required by law” to dismiss the charges:
“If the person who’s given mental health diversion follows the treatment plan, there’s nothing that can be done, and at the end of the two years he gets it wiped out of his record.”
Wagstaffe said he has argued, along with other DAs in California, to have attempted murder removed from the list of charges eligible to be dismissed due to mental health diversion programs.
Patel had the charges officially dismissed on Monday; his wife waited for him as he left court and they departed the building together, according to Mercury News. Patel surrendered his California medical license in December.
The crash has been one of the best examples of Tesla’s incredible engineering, which has saved four lives in this particular instance. The car was totalled but kept the four human beings alive and safe, which is something that many referred to as “an absolute miracle.”
A common misconception of anti-EV proponents is that the batteries used in the vehicles are detrimental to the environment and that they cause more waste than they are worth. But a look at Tesla’s battery recycling efforts last year shows the company is doing more than ever to recover materials and give portions of the cells a second life.
Tesla reported a significant milestone in its sustainability efforts last year, with battery recycling volumes rising 20% compared to 2024. According to the company’s 2025 Impact Report, Tesla recycled over 14,000 metric tons of battery material through a combination of in-house processing at its Gigafactories and collaborations with third-party recycling partners.
Tesla: “In 2025, we recycled over 14,000 metric tons of battery material through a combination of in-house processing and through our network of recycling partners.”
That’s equivalent to 46,000 long-range battery packs, a +20% increase from 2024. pic.twitter.com/TC3Nz7Kaqf
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) July 7, 2026
This amount of recovered material is equivalent to the resources needed to produce approximately 46,000 long-range battery packs. The increase reflects growing operational scale as Tesla’s global vehicle fleet expands and more batteries reach end-of-life or manufacturing scrap becomes available for processing.
Tesla and Battery Recycling
Battery recycling forms a core part of Tesla’s circular economy strategy. The company designs its batteries for longevity, often exceeding 200,000 miles of driving, and prioritizes repairs, remanufacturing, and second-life applications before full recycling.
Once packs are decommissioned, Tesla ensures 100% are recycled with no materials sent to landfills. This approach recovers critical metals including lithium, nickel, cobalt, and copper, which can be refined and reused in new battery production.
Tesla has advanced hydrometallurgical recycling processes capable of achieving recovery rates up to 98% for key battery metals. These methods are more efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional pyrometallurgical techniques, reducing energy use and enabling higher-purity materials suitable for direct reintegration into battery manufacturing.
Tesla co-founder JB Straubel confirms Redwood’s battery recycling operations are already profitable
In-house capabilities are supplemented by a network of specialized partners, creating a robust system that handles both production scrap and end-of-life packs.
The environmental and economic benefits are substantial. Recycling reduces reliance on virgin mining, lowers the carbon footprint associated with raw material extraction and processing, and helps stabilize supply chains for critical minerals amid rising global EV demand. As millions of Tesla vehicles age, the volume of recyclable material is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.
This 20% year-over-year growth demonstrates the effectiveness of Tesla’s investments in recycling infrastructure and technology. It positions the company as a leader in addressing one of the automotive industry’s major sustainability challenges. Continued innovation in battery design for easier disassembly and higher recyclability will further enhance these efforts.
Overall, Tesla’s progress in 2025 highlights how scaling recycling operations supports both environmental goals and long-term business resilience in the transition to electric mobility. As the EV market matures, such closed-loop systems will become increasingly vital for sustainable growth.
Tesla confirms crucial detail of Miami Robotaxi launch
Radiologist who drove Tesla off cliff has attempted murder charges dismissed
