Tesla Lines Up 11 Fleet Customers for Semi Factory Launch — SkimNews
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- Tesla parked at least 11 Semi trucks bearing customer logos outside its new Nevada plant ahead of a 9 p.m. ET launch livestream, with drone footage identifying PepsiCo, US Foods, DHL, WattEV, ABF, Einride, IMC, OK Produce, and others
- PepsiCo, DHL, ABF Freight, Einride, and IMC Logistics have already placed confirmed Semi orders, including Einride's 500-truck commitment in August and IMC's 50-truck order for California drayage announced two days ago
- US Foods, OK Produce, LTS, and WattEV appear as new customer logos not previously tied to firm Semi orders, suggesting Tesla will use tonight's event to announce fresh fleet commitments
- Tesla's new Semi plant next to Gigafactory Nevada has been producing trucks since April and is rated for 50,000 units annually, but analysts project only 5,000 to 15,000 deliveries this year
- The Tesla Semi is offered in Standard Range (325 miles) and Long Range (500 miles) variants, both using an 800 kW three-motor powertrain, with the first high-volume truck rolling off the line in April
- Tesla was named primary supplier this week for ZET SCALE's 2,500-truck order backed by Microsoft and PepsiCo, though Kenworth, Volvo, and RIDE also share the deal
Why it matters: After a six-year delay from its 2017 unveiling, the Semi faces a credibility test: the new plant can build 50,000 trucks a year, but analysts expect Tesla to deliver between 5,000 and 15,000 in 2025, meaning the factory will run well below capacity unless fleet deals like Einride's 500-truck order and ZET SCALE's 2,500-truck commitment translate into actual volume rather than press releases.
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