CARB Confirms Tesla Semi at 822 kWh, 500-Mile Range
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- CARB's Executive Order A-374-0095 certified Tesla Semi battery capacities at 822 kWh (Long Range) and 548 kWh (Standard Range), both using NCMA lithium-ion chemistry with 4680 cells
- The 822 kWh Long Range pack is roughly 80 kWh smaller than Elon Musk's December 2022 "around 900 kWh" estimate, yet still achieves 500 miles of range at the full 82,000-lb gross combination weight
- Tesla achieved equivalent range partly through a production version weighing nearly 1,000 lbs less than the original prototype revealed in March
- At 1.7 kWh per mile, the Semi delivers roughly 0.6 miles per kWh — beating the Freightliner eCascadia (550 kWh, 230 miles) and Volvo VNR Electric (564 kWh, 275 miles)
- The 548 kWh Standard Range variant covers 325 miles at an estimated $260,000 ($30,000 less than Long Range), using a modular architecture that removes one of three battery modules — a one-third reduction
- Both trims share an 800 kW (1,072 hp) tri-motor drivetrain with 525 kW sustained output, supporting 1.2 MW Megacharger speeds via an MCS 3.2 connector
- TCO analysis pegs the Semi at roughly $0.20/mile in energy costs at $0.12/kWh versus $0.67/mile for diesel at $5.35/gallon — over $400,000 in savings over 10 years
Why it matters: The Standard Range at $260,000 is the variant that will actually move adoption — 325 miles covers the majority of regional Class 8 routes that run under 300 miles, and the modular one-third battery reduction cuts weight and material costs enough to bring the diesel TCO advantage into reach for cost-conscious fleet operators. The 500-mile Long Range makes headlines; the cheaper, lighter truck is what hits the volume market.
