The Tesla Semi is already being delivered to customers, but a lot of information about the production version of the all-electric Class 8 long-hauler is still under wraps. Following the delivery of more Tesla Semi units to PepsiCo earlier this week, however, some details about the vehicle were shared.
Among the most interesting aspects of the Tesla Semi is its cost, especially considering that electric vehicles tend to be more expensive than their combustion-powered counterparts. During the Semi’s unveiling in late 2017, Tesla estimated that the truck’s 300-mile version would cost $150,000 and its 500-mile variant would cost $180,000.
As per a comment from Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District Executive Director Alberto Ayala, it appears that the Semi’s current iteration costs a bit more than Tesla’s initial estimate for the vehicle. In a comment to The Sacramento Bee, Ayala noted that the District paid for 18 of the 21 Tesla Semi units that would be used at PepsiCo’s South Sacramento bottling plant using $4.5 million in grants.
Ayala further noted that the grants are designed to encourage companies to purchase zero-emissions vehicles like the Tesla Semi even if they cost a premium. In the case of Tesla’s Class 8 all-electric truck, the cost was around $250,000, about twice the price of a conventional, but heavily polluting, diesel-powered Class 8 truck.
“We have a pot of money, and we have to decide where it makes the most sense to spend it. And in our case, Pepsi was willing to work with us,” Ayala said.
Erica Edwards, Senior Vice President for Manufacturing for PepsiCo, was optimistic about the company’s growing Tesla Semi fleet. In a comment to the publication, Edwards remarked that the Semis in PepsiCo’s fleet today typically travel about 400 miles before they need to be recharged. She also noted that PepsiCo had installed four 750 kW Tesla Megachargers at its Sacramento and Modesto facilities.
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