The Tesla Semi is arguably the most underrated product of the electric vehicle maker, but it does not mean to say that the Class 8 all-electric long-hauler’s program is not moving forward.
On the contrary, the Tesla Semi program has been taking some steps forward as of late, from its upcoming factory in Nevada to its customer base.
Progress on the Tesla Semi factory in Nevada
- The Tesla Semi factory in Nevada recently saw the installation of the last major piece of structural steel topping off the main building.
- The milestone was highlighted by Tesla Sr. Manager of Semi Truck Engineering Dan Priestley, who praised the quick execution of the teams constructing the Semi factory.
- “Yesterday, Semi Factory Nevada topped off the main area of the building with the last major piece of structural steel! Fantastic design and execution by this construction team and our contractor partners with focus on safety and efficiency. This factory is going to rock!” Priestley wrote in a post on X.
Yesterday, Semi Factory Nevada topped off the main area of the building with the last major piece of structural steel! Fantastic design and execution by this construction team and our contractor partners with focus on safety and efficiency. This factory is going to rock! pic.twitter.com/YJRMO5bOaB— Dan Priestley (@danWpriestley) December 19, 2024
A new client:
- Earlier this month, Saia Inc. announced that Saia LTL Freight has partnered with Tesla to introduce two of the company’s first Tesla Semi trucks to its fleet.
- The Tesla Semi’s addition to Saia LTL Freight’s fleet is part of the company’s 100th anniversary. Both Tesla Semis have been undergoing rigorous testing from the transportation company.
- Saia has praised the Tesla Semi’s performance. As per Saia Executive Vice President of Operations Patrick Sugar, “We were very impressed with the Tesla Semi as it demonstrated an ability to handle both local and longer haul applications while still delivering notable power and efficiency. During a demonstration earlier this year, we achieved 1.73 kWh per mile.
- “Our drivers were equally impressed, noting the smooth acceleration, comfortable design, and its ability to maintain speeds on steep inclines, even while hauling heavy payloads. This feedback underscores the enormous potential of the Tesla Semi,” Sugar noted.
We’re excited to announce the introduction of @Tesla Semi trucks to our fleet! Our investment with Tesla is a testament to our commitment to sustainability as we work to embrace our responsibility to the environment and the communities in which we operate. #saialtlfrieght pic.twitter.com/cn2WwhLtZG— SaiaLTLFreight (@Saia_Inc) December 18, 2024
The Tesla Semi in context:
- As per Elon Musk during the Semi’s first delivery event, conventional semi trucks comprise just about 1% of the vehicles on the road, but they are responsible for 20% of the emissions.
- Thus, the Semi could very well be the Tesla that could make the most difference when it comes to helping keep the air clean.
- Elon Musk noted during the Q3 2024 earnings call that the Semi has a lot of demand.
- “Fundamentally, if you’ve got a (Tesla) Semi, the fully considered cost per mile per ton of transport is better than a diesel truck. Any company that doesn’t adopt an electric Semi will lose. It’s not a subjective thing,” Musk noted.


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News
Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
Tesla Europe has announced that its “Future Holidays” campaign will feature Full Self-Driving (Supervised) ride-along experiences in the Netherlands.
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
The Holiday program was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on X. “Come get in the spirit with us. Featuring Caraoke, FSD Supervised ride-along experiences, holiday light shows with our S3XY lineup & more,” the company wrote in its post on X.
Per the program’s official website, fun activities will include Caraoke sessions and light shows with the S3XY vehicle lineup. It appears that Optimus will also be making an appearance at the events. Tesla even noted that the humanoid robot will be in “full party spirit,” so things might indeed be quite fun.
“This season, we’re introducing you to the fun of the future. Register for our holiday events to meet our robots, see if you can spot the Bot to win prizes, and check out our selection of exclusive merchandise and limited-edition gifts. Discover Tesla activities near you and discover what makes the future so festive,” Tesla wrote on its official website.
This announcement aligns with Tesla’s accelerating FSD efforts in Europe, where supervised ride-alongs could help demonstrate the tech to regulators and customers. The Netherlands, with its urban traffic and progressive EV policies, could serve as an ideal and valuable testing ground for FSD.
Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for the rollout of FSD to several European countries. Tesla has received approval to operate 19 FSD test vehicles on Spain’s roads, though this number could increase as the program develops. As per the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), Tesla would be able to operate its FSD fleet on any national route across Spain. Recent job openings also hint at Tesla starting FSD tests in Austria. Apart from this, the company is also holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy.
News
Tesla sees sharp November rebound in China as Model Y demand surges
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month.
Tesla’s sales momentum in China strengthened in November, with wholesale volumes rising to 86,700 units, reversing a slowdown seen in October.
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month. This was partly driven by tightened delivery windows, targeted marketing, and buyers moving to secure vehicles before changes to national purchase tax incentives take effect.
Tesla’s November rebound coincided with a noticeable spike in Model Y interest across China. Delivery wait times extended multiple times over the month, jumping from an initial 2–5 weeks to estimated handovers in January and February 2026 for most five-seat variants. Only the six-seat Model Y L kept its 4–8 week estimated delivery timeframe.
The company amplified these delivery updates across its Chinese social media channels, urging buyers to lock in orders early to secure 2025 delivery slots and preserve eligibility for current purchase tax incentives, as noted in a CNEV Post report. Tesla also highlighted that new inventory-built Model Y units were available for customers seeking guaranteed handovers before December 31.
This combination of urgency marketing and genuine supply-demand pressure seemed to have helped boost November’s volumes, stabilizing what had been a year marked by several months of year-over-year declines.
For the January–November period, Tesla China recorded 754,561 wholesale units, an 8.30% decline compared to the same period last year. The company’s Shanghai Gigafactory continues to operate as both a domestic production base and a major global export hub, building the Model 3 and Model Y for markets across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, among other territories.
Investor's Corner
Tesla bear gets blunt with beliefs over company valuation
Tesla bear Michael Burry got blunt with his beliefs over the company’s valuation, which he called “ridiculously overvalued” in a newsletter to subscribers this past weekend.
“Tesla’s market capitalization is ridiculously overvalued today and has been for a good long time,” Burry, who was the inspiration for the movie The Big Short, and was portrayed by Christian Bale.
Burry went on to say, “As an aside, the Elon cult was all-in on electric cars until competition showed up, then all-in on autonomous driving until competition showed up, and now is all-in on robots — until competition shows up.”
Tesla bear Michael Burry ditches bet against $TSLA, says ‘media inflated’ the situation
For a long time, Burry has been skeptical of Tesla, its stock, and its CEO, Elon Musk, even placing a $530 million bet against shares several years ago. Eventually, Burry’s short position extended to other supporters of the company, including ARK Invest.
Tesla has long drawn skepticism from investors and more traditional analysts, who believe its valuation is overblown. However, the company is not traded as a traditional stock, something that other Wall Street firms have recognized.
While many believe the company has some serious pull as an automaker, an identity that helped it reach the valuation it has, Tesla has more than transformed into a robotics, AI, and self-driving play, pulling itself into the realm of some of the most recognizable stocks in tech.
Burry’s Scion Asset Management has put its money where its mouth is against Tesla stock on several occasions, but the firm has not yielded positive results, as shares have increased in value since 2020 by over 115 percent. The firm closed in May.
In 2020, it launched its short position, but by October 2021, it had ditched that position.
Tesla has had a tumultuous year on Wall Street, dipping significantly to around the $220 mark at one point. However, it rebounded significantly in September, climbing back up to the $400 region, as it currently trades at around $430.
It closed at $430.14 on Monday.
