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Tesla Semi’s strong demand could expedite the release of the pickup truck

[Credit: Rec1pr0city/Twitter]

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The all-electric Semi truck could very well be the most disruptive vehicle in Tesla’s lineup. Since its unveiling, the Tesla Semi has garnered reservations from some of the United States’ most prominent businesses like FedEx and PepsiCo. During the Q1 2018 earnings call back in May, Elon Musk and CTO JB Straubel noted that the company had received around 2,000 pre-orders for the vehicle.

Some of the trucking market’s veterans remain skeptical of the Semi. A spokesman for Cummins Inc., one of America’s premier engine-makers, recently stated that they do not see all-electric trucks like the Semi being viable alternatives to diesel-powered long-haulers anytime soon. Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum trade group, also expressed doubt on Elon Musk’s claims that the Semi would be cheaper to run and operate than its diesel-powered counterparts.

Regardless of these doubts, Tesla is pushing on with the development of the electric truck, with Elon Musk stating during the Q2 2018 earnings call that the company has made significant improvements to the Semi since it was unveiled last November. The Semi’s customers also appear to be completely on board with their adoption of the all-electric trucks. Earlier this year, it was even announced that some of the Semi’s biggest customers such as PepsiCo and Anheuser-Busch are working with Tesla to develop and install a network of in-house charging stations for the upcoming vehicle. These stations would be spaced close enough to ensure that the trucks would be able to traverse their routes without any range issues.  

The Tesla Semi sighted at Chicago’s Rolling Meadows Supercharger. [Credit: Rec1pr0city/Twitter]

Just recently, the Semi visited yet another customer. This time, the all-electric truck traveled to trucking giant J.B. Hunt’s headquarters in Arkansas, where it was showcased to the company’s employees. Just like the truck’s visit to PepsiCo’s Texas facility earlier this year, employees of the trucking company were able to get up close and personal with the vehicle. Social media posts from individuals in attendance during the Semi’s visit show that J.B. Hunt’s employees, contrary to being skeptical of the vehicle, appear to be excited about the electric truck. Tesla critics would find it difficult to dismiss J.B. Hunt’s authority in the trucking industry as well, considering that the company has been in the transport industry for more than 50 years, and that its current fleet is comprised of over 12,000 trucks and 100,000 trailers and containers.

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This strong, positive reaction from America’s premier hauling companies bodes well for the Semi. It remains to be known how many reservations Tesla currently has for the vehicle, but there’s a very good chance the pre-order list is significantly longer than 2,000 units today. That said, the anticipation surrounding the Semi might result in the release of one of Tesla’s most highly-anticipated vehicles to be expedited.

J.B. Hunt employees lining up to view the Tesla Semi up close. [Credit: tslalytix/Twitter]

Elon Musk was present on Twitter during the weekend, and while interacting with his followers, Musk noted that the electric car company may be able to release the Tesla pickup truck earlier than expected. Initial expectations point to the Tesla Truck being released sometime after the Model Y is unveiled. Considering that the Model Y is expected to be unveiled sometime in 2019, there is a fair chance that the Tesla Truck’s official unveiling would be scheduled for 2020 at the earliest.

Elon Musk did note last year that he is thinking of making the Tesla Truck a smaller version of the Semi. This means that Tesla would likely be carrying over some of the Semi’s elements to the pickup truck. Since the Semi already shares components with the Model 3, such as its powertrain, doors, and air vent design, it seems safe to assume that Tesla is planning on using the Model 3 as a template for the pickup truck as well. This is a strategic move for Tesla, since by the time it starts producing the Semi and the Tesla Truck, everything connected to the Model 3 and its components would likely have been smoothed out by the company.

Thanks to the lessons the company learned from the Model 3, the Semi (as well as the Model Y, which is also expected to be based on the Model 3) might very well see a less troublesome rollout. If Tesla manages to pull this off, it could provide an opportunity for Tesla to bring the pickup truck to market sooner. If that happens, Elon Musk’s tweet about an earlier release for the Tesla Truck could very well prove accurate.

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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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Tesla snags Lamborghini alum to help in newly entered market

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has snagged a Lamborghini alum to help with its entrance into a new market, which has proven to be an intricate situation for the automaker.

A report from Bloomberg states that Tesla has hired Sharad Agarwal, who was formerly employed by the Italian luxury carmaker, to run its operations in India. With Lamborghini, he was employed to handle operations in India.

Tesla launches in India with Model Y, showing pricing will be biggest challenge

Tesla has gone through quite a few different team members with its launch in India, starting with a few hirings a few years ago, well before the company actually committed to selling cars in the country.

The move helps Tesla streamline its executive decision-making process, as it previously had employees in India reach out to managers based in China, among other areas. Agarwal will be stationed in India and will handle the company’s operations.

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Tesla’s mentality behind the strategy is to have local leadership, something that seems to cater to the market specifically.

Tesla had previously put Isabel Fan, the manager of Southeast Asia for the company, in the position. However, Tesla seemed to want someone who was more permanent and would be dedicated to India exclusively.

India has the largest population on Earth and has a massive automotive market for that reason. Tesla stands to gain a lot from a strong performance in India, and its clean energy vehicles could help with pollution of all kinds in the region.

Tesla’s path to entrance in the Indian market was a long one, as the company tried for nearly ten years to get into the elusive region. Back in 2016, CEO Elon Musk said Tesla “would love to be in India,” teasing the Model 3.

By 2017, Tesla had met with officials from the country, but tried to get import duties down to nothing from 100 percent.

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Indian authorities denied Tesla’s request.

For years, Musk met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to try and iron out a deal of some sort. Nothing truly came to fruition, at least until last year, when real movement started.

By 2024, India had introduced a strategy to reduce import duties for some companies, which was enough for Tesla to make a move. It is now 2025, and the company still has not committed to building a factory in the region. However, it is not completely out of the question.

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Tesla Sentry Mode helps lock up drive-by shooting suspect in Seattle

“A nearby Tesla actually captured the video that showed a man crouched behind a vehicle firing gunshots. A lot of vehicles record, and officers know that Teslas, especially, record, so we use that video all the time in these instances.”

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tesla side repeater camera
(Credit: Tesla)

Police in Seattle, Washington, are crediting Tesla’s well-known Sentry Mode for helping find a suspect in a drive-by shooting case.

A 21-year-old was arrested for an alleged drive-by shooting in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle this past Sunday, and the leads on the case seemed to be slim.

However, a Tesla parked nearby was able to record the shooting, as well as the car that the suspect hopped in after the crime occurred. It helped police identify the person they were looking for.

Seattle Police Department Detective Brian Pritchard said to MyNorthwest that the Tesla was a critical part of finding the suspect and placing him under arrest:

“A nearby Tesla actually captured the video that showed a man crouched behind a vehicle firing gunshots. A lot of vehicles record, and officers know that Teslas, especially, record, so we use that video all the time in these instances.”

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The Tesla footage helped the Police put the suspect into handcuffs about an hour after the crime was committed. They are currently charged with drive-by shooting and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Tesla Sentry Mode is a security feature the vehicle utilizes to help solve crimes like vandalism, but it is also a cool feature that has caught things like accidents and other incidents on camera.

Many people still do not know about it, including the many vandals who keyed or broke the windows of Teslas earlier this year, as people damaged others’ cars in an act of retaliation against CEO Elon Musk when he became involved in politics.

This is far from the first time Sentry Mode has helped Police Departments solve crimes. Last September, we reported on Oakland’s Police Department in California using Teslas near crime scenes to help solve cases.

Tesla Sentry Mode is Oakland PD’s secret weapon against rising crime

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Sergeant Ben Therriault, president of the Richmond Police Officers Association, said, “We have all these mobile video devices floating around,” in reference to the Teslas that sit and capture nearly everything that surrounds them.

Sentry Mode has helped officers arrest a variety of suspects, including several people who were allegedly involved in the murder of a 27-year-old woman in Northern California.

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UPDATE: Tesla investors push Charles Schwab for Musk comp plan clarification

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tesla cybertruck elon musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveils futuristic Cybertruck in Los Angeles, Nov. 21, 2019 (Photo: Teslarati)

Update: 4:00 p.m. EDT – Charles Schwab has reached out to TESLARATI with the following statement, clarifying that it plans to vote FOR Musk’s compensation package:

“Schwab Asset Management’s approach to voting on proxy matters is thorough and deliberate. We utilize a structured process that focuses on protecting and promoting shareholder value. We apply our own internal guidelines and do not rely on recommendations from Glass Lewis or ISS. In accordance with this process, Schwab Asset Management intends to vote in favor of the 2025 CEO performance award proposal. We firmly believe that supporting this proposal aligns both management and shareholder interests, ensuring the best outcome for all parties involved.”

There have also been updates to the headline and various paragraphs to reflect this as well as accuracy.

Tesla investors are pushing Charles Schwab for clarification after it was expected to vote against CEO Elon Musk’s pay package.

Several high-profile Tesla influencers are speaking out against Charles Schwab, saying its decision to vote against the plan that would retain Musk as CEO and give him potentially more voting power if he can achieve the tranches set by the company’s Board of Directors.

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The Tesla community appeared to see that Schwab is one firm that tends to vote against Musk’s compensation plans, as they also voted against the CEO’s 2018 pay package, which was passed by shareholders but then denied by a Delaware Chancery Court.

Schwab’s move was recognized by investors within the Tesla community and now they are speaking out about it:

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At least six of Charles Schwab’s ETFs were expected to vote against Tesla’s Board recommendation to support the compensation plan for Musk. The six ETFs represent around 7 million Tesla $TSLA shares.

Jason DeBolt, an all-in Tesla shareholder, summarized the firm’s decision really well:

As a custodian of ETF shares, your fiduciary duty is to vote in shareholders’ best interests. For a board that has delivered extraordinary returns, voting against their recommendations doesn’t align with retail investors, Tesla employees, or the leadership we invested to support. If Schwab’s proxy voting policies don’t reflect shareholder interests, my followers and I will move our collective tens of millions in $TSLA shares (or possibly hundreds of millions) to a broker that does, via account transfer as soon as this week.”

Tesla shareholders will vote on Musk’s pay package on Thursday at the Annual Shareholders Meeting in Austin, Texas.

It seems more likely than not that it will pass, but investors have made it clear they want a decisive victory, as it could clear the path for any issues with shareholder lawsuits in the future, as it did with Musk’s past pay package.

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