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The Tesla Semi’s recent Giga 1 sighting highlights its difference from other concept trucks
To say that the Tesla Semi ruffled some feathers when it was unveiled last year is an understatement. Prior to the reveal of all-electric truck, questions were abounding about its viability as an alternative to conventional diesel-powered long-haulers. Even after the Semi’s specs and performance were announced, the vehicle still attracted a lot of skepticism.
During an event for Daimler’s e-Actos electric truck, for example, the company’s Head of Trucks, Martin Daum, noted that Elon Musk’s claims about the Semi’s 300 and 500-mile range are farfetched. Citing limitations in battery tech, Daum stated that “If Tesla really delivers on this promise, we’ll obviously buy two trucks — one to take apart and one to test because if that happens, something has passed us by. But for now, the same laws of physics apply in Germany and in California.” Jon Mills, a spokesman for engine maker Cummins Inc. noted back in August that while electrification is in the future of the trucking industry, the vehicles are not viable in their current state.
Since it was unveiled, the Tesla Semi has been spotted traveling across the United States. Tesla unveiled two working prototypes of the Semi – one painted silver and the other matte black – when it unveiled the vehicle, and so far, both have been spotted testing on US roads. Both trucks were also sighted delivering cargo from Gigafactory 1 in NV to the Fremont factory in CA. Most recently, the silver Tesla Semi was sighted in Gigafactory 1, hauling a trailer and seemingly ready to transport cargo.

Tesla is not the only manufacturer coming up with a zero-emissions truck. As the transport industry starts accelerating its shift towards electrification, even prominent truck companies are coming up with their own green vehicles. Most of these vehicles exist as concepts for now, but they do give an idea of how veteran truckmakers are approaching the industry’s transition to the electric age.
Ford, for one, recently revealed the F-Vision concept, which is loaded to the teeth with cutting-edge tech, including an adaptable windshield that can lower and rise depending on the driver’s preference, as well as front lights that can be fully customized. Last month, Volvo introduced the Vera, its next-generation semi-trailer concept. Unlike Tesla and Ford’s truck, Volvo’s vehicle does not even have a driver’s cabin, as it is designed fully for autonomy. Startup trucking companies are also showcasing their offerings. Nikola Motors, for one, made headlines when it unveiled its long-range sleeper hydrogen-electric truck – the Nikola One – back in December 2016, and the company has since teased its next offering, a day cab called the Nikola Two.
There is little doubt that the upcoming electric truck concepts that have been unveiled so far are exciting vehicles in their own right. Inasmuch as this is the case, though, many of these impressive concepts feature technology that is still yet to be developed or refined. During the F-Vision’s unveiling, for one, Ford clarified that the truck is strictly a concept for now. Volvo’s Vera is a perfect fit for short-haul trips thanks to its 300 kWh battery that gives it a 187-mile range, but the vehicle can’t be deployed anytime soon since self-driving tech is still under development (even autonomous tech leader Waymo is reportedly struggling with its fleet’s real-world testing). Nikola’s hydrogen-electric trucks are powerful and boast long-range, but they would need a network of H2 refilling stations before they can be a viable alternative to diesel trucks. As a result, most zero-emissions truck concepts, including the Nikola One prototype, are yet to be sighted doing real-world tests on public roads.
- The Volvo Vera. [Credit: Volvo]
- The Ford F-Vision concept. [Credit: Ford]
- The Nikola One
This is where the Tesla Semi is different. Among the upcoming electric trucks in the market, the Semi is the one undergoing consistent, intensive real-world testing. The vehicle has been spotted in multiple states since its unveiling, at times even visiting the sites of reservation holders like UPS, J.B. Hunt and PepsiCo. As it conducts its extensive real-world tests, the vehicle undergoes a consistent process of improvement. This was highlighted by Tesla’s Head of Automotive Jerome Guillen during the Q2 2018 earnings call, when he stated that several improvements have already been introduced to the electric truck since it was unveiled last year. Elon Musk even teased on Twitter that the Semi would likely have closer to 600 miles of range per charge. With this, it seems safe to infer that the production version of the Tesla Semi would be better than the prototype that is currently traveling across the country today.
The Tesla Semi balances its features without overdoing it as well. It does not have the cloud-based autonomy of concepts like the Vera or the flashy variable front design of the Ford F-Vision, but ultimately, it does not need to have all these extra bells and whistles to become effective at what it’s designed to do. Tesla created the Semi to be a viable alternative to diesel-powered long-haulers, and if recent sightings and its consistent road tests is any indication, it appears that the vehicle is poised to be exactly that.
The Tesla Semi is expected to start production sometime in 2019. Recent reports have indicated that Tesla is planning on “earnestly” producing the Semi sometime in 2020.
News
Tesla teases new market entrance with confusing and cryptic message
Tesla teased its entrance into a new market with a confusing and what appeared to be cryptic message on the social media platform X.
The company has been teasing its entrance into several markets, including Africa, which would be a first, and South America, where it only operates in Chile.
In September, Tesla started creating active job postings for the Colombian market, hinting it would expand its presence in South America and launch in a new country for the first time in two years.
The jobs were related to various roles, including Associate Sales Manager, Advisors in Sales and Delivery, and Service Technicians. These are all roles that would indicate Tesla is planning to launch a wide-scale effort to sell, manage, and repair vehicles in the market.
Last night, Tesla posted its latest hint, a cryptic video that seems to show the outline of Colombia, teasing its closer than ever to market entry:
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) November 12, 2025
This would be the next expansion into a continent where it does not have much of a presence for Tesla. Currently, there are only two Supercharger locations on the entire continent, and they’re both in Chile.
Tesla will obviously need to expand upon this crucial part of the ownership experience to enable a more confident consumer base in South America as a whole. However, it is not impossible, as many other EV charging infrastructures are available, and home charging is always a suitable option for those who have access to it.
Surprisingly, Tesla seems to be more concerned about these middle-market countries as opposed to the larger markets in South America, but that could be by design.
If Tesla were to launch in Brazil initially, it may not be able to handle the uptick in demand, and infrastructure expansion could be more difficult. Brazil may be on its list in the upcoming years, but not as of right now.
@teslarati 🚨🚨 Tesla Full Self-Driving and Yap is the best driving experience #tesla #fsd #yapping ♬ I Run – HAVEN.
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Tesla expands crucial Supercharging feature for easier access
It is a useful tool, especially during hours of congestion. However, it has not been super effective for those who drive non-Tesla EVs, as other OEMs use UI platforms like Google’s Android Auto or Apple’s iOS.
Tesla has expanded a crucial Supercharging feature that helps owners identify stall availability at nearby locations.
Tesla said on Tuesday night that its “Live Availability” feature, which shows EV owners how many stalls are available at a Supercharger station, to Google Maps, a third-party app:
Live availability of Superchargers now in Google Maps pic.twitter.com/DJvS83wVxm
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) November 11, 2025
Already offering it in its own vehicles, the Live Availability feature that Teslas have is a helpful feature that helps you choose an appropriate station with plugs that are immediately available.
A number on an icon where the Supercharger is located lets EV drivers know how many stalls are available.
It is a useful tool, especially during hours of congestion. However, it has not been super effective for those who drive non-Tesla EVs, as other OEMs use UI platforms like Google’s Android Auto or Apple’s iOS.
Essentially, when those drivers needed to charge at a Supercharger that enables non-Tesla EVs to plug in, there was a bit more of a gamble. There was no guarantee that a plug would be available, and with no way to see how many are open, it was a risk.
Tesla adding this feature allows people to have a more convenient and easier-to-use experience if they are in a non-Tesla EV. With the already expansive Supercharger Network being available to so many EV owners, there is more congestion than ever.
This new feature makes the entire experience better for all owners, especially as there is more transparency regarding the availability of plugs at Supercharger stalls.
It will be interesting to see if Tesla is able to expand on this new move, as Apple Maps compatibility is an obvious goal of the company’s in the future, we could imagine. In fact, this is one of the first times an Android Auto feature is available to those owners before it became an option for iOS users.
Apple owners tend to get priority with new features within the Tesla App itself.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s Boring Co goes extra hard in Nashville with first rock-crushing TBM
The Boring Company’s machine for the project is now in final testing.
The Boring Company is gearing up to tackle one of its toughest projects yet, a new tunnel system beneath Nashville’s notoriously tough limestone terrain. Unlike the soft-soil conditions of Las Vegas and Austin, the Music City Loop will require a “hard-rock” boring machine capable of drilling through dense, erosion-resistant bedrock.
The Boring Company’s machine for the project is now in final testing.
A boring hard-rock tunneling machine
The Boring Company revealed on X that its new hard-rock TBM can generate up to 4 million pounds of grip force and 1.5 million pounds of maximum thrust load. It also features a 15-filter dust removal system designed to keep operations clean and efficient during excavation even in places where hard rock is present.
Previous Boring Co. projects, including its Loop tunnels in Las Vegas, Austin, and Bastrop, were dug primarily through soft soils. Nashville’s geology, however, poses a different challenge. Boring Company CEO and President Steve Davis mentioned this challenge during the project’s announcement in late July.
“It’s a tough place to tunnel, Nashville. If we were optimizing for the easiest places to tunnel, it would not be here. You have extremely hard rock, like way harder than it should be. It’s an engineering problem that’s fairly easy and straightforward to solve,” Davis said.
Nashville’s limestone terrain
Experts have stated that the city’s subsurface conditions make it one of the more complex tunneling environments in the U.S. The Outer Nashville Basin is composed of cherty Mississippian-age limestone, a strong yet soluble rock that can dissolve over time, creating underground voids and caves, as noted in a report from The Tennessean.
Jakob Walter, the founder and principal engineer of Haushepherd, shared his thoughts on these challenges. “Limestone is generally a stable sedimentary bedrock material with strength parameters that are favorable for tunneling. Limestone is however fairly soluble when compared to other rack materials, and can dissolve over long periods of time when exposed to water.
“Unexpected encounters with these features while tunneling can result in significant construction delays and potential instability of the excavation. In urban locations, structures at the ground surface should also be constantly monitored with robotic total stations or similar surveying equipment to identify any early signs of movement or distress,” he said.
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