Tesla Semi was spotted being tested at Giga Nevada and a new unit was seen in the location. It is said that the limited production of the vehicle has already started. Though Tesla stated that the Semi deliveries are delayed to 2023, it looks like, in reality, the situation is slightly different. Sources state that a limited number of deliveries will take place earlier than planned.
While Tesla claims that mass production of the Semi has been delayed until 2023, it seems that in reality, it could be a little different. @SawyerMerritt shared a video of Semi being tested near Giga Nevada. The video shows the truck performing various maneuvers, including fast acceleration, cornering, and circle driving. Sawyer’s sources said that unlike previous Tesla Semi builds spotted near the factory, this one did not have any department of transportation stickers or manufacturer plates. Sources also said the Tesla Semi is already in limited production and confirmed that mass production will not begin until 2023 at the earliest.
BREAKING: A source has informed me that the Tesla Semi is now in limited production. Key word here is LIMITED. This has been independently corroborated by drone footage taken today (Dec 10, 2021) of the Giga Nevada Semi prod building, & sent to me.
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) December 11, 2021
At the moment, the purpose of this small number of Semis, which are produced at Giga Nevada, is unknown. On the one hand, they can be tested in the real world, transporting something between the manufacturer’s factories in Nevada and California. On the other hand, they may be delivered to PepsiCo., which expects to receive the first units by the end of 2021.
PepsiCo installing chargers
In late November, PepsiCo. received permission to install Tesla Megacharger to charge Tesla Semis, 15 of which are to be shipped to their facility in Modesto, California. Stanislaus County has officially issued a permit to install Megacharger requested by the company back in April 2021. This hints at increased preparations for the receipt of the trucks, which would not make sense if their arrival was not expected soon.
Usually, Tesla vehicle deliveries are delayed, especially as they keep working on many aspects. As the production capacity is expected to increase with Giga Texas and Giga Berlin, it is possible that the Nevada factory is focusing on the Semi. Here the Giga Texas seems to be mostly focused on the Cybertruck production, and the Berlin factory could be focused on European sales of Model Y and Model 3 with the latest battery technology (4680 battery cells). Tesla Semi according to the website, “is the safest, most comfortable truck ever. Four independent motors provide maximum power and acceleration and require the lowest energy cost per mile.”