Jerome Guillen, president of automotive for Tesla, shared a photo of the Semi alongside a pair of conventional vehicle delivery trucks on LinkedIn. The Tesla long distance truck definitely looks like it came from the future, thanks to its unique design, cavernous cab, and central driving position.
Although the Semi has been seen in multiple locations over the years, it has rarely been photographed alongside more traditional long-distance trucks. This made it a little difficult to see how physically different the Tesla Semi was compared to its competition. That is, at least, until the recent LinkedIn post by Jerome Guillén, who represented the Semi alongside the vehicles it is intended to replace.
Guillén published the image of the Semi with a subtitle that said: “A quick breather after strong deliveries in the second quarter. The alien came to rescue the dinosaurs. The automotive president did not specify what his legend was about, although he seemed to refer to the Semi and its more conventional peers, as well as the role the all-electric truck played in Tesla’s recent push at the end of the quarter.
A look at the recently shared image highlights the Semi’s large and spacious cab, especially compared to the two traditional delivery trucks next to it. In addition to giving drivers a commanding view of the road and excellent visibility, the Semi’s wraparound windshield gives the all-electric truck a remarkably futuristic look. The Semi’s central cockpit, which is seamlessly futuristic in itself, ties the look of the vehicle together.
Ultimately, Guillén’s publication highlights a prominent theme in Tesla’s history: the constant transition from proven fossil fuel conventions to the potential presented by sustainable solutions. The Tesla Semi could tackle most of the problems plaguing the transportation industry today, after all. For example, with its Convoy mode, Tesla Semi makes truck driving a little safer.
Previous reports have emerged suggesting that finding drivers in the trucking industry has been difficult in recent times despite living wages, simply because some drivers are unwilling to take on the health risks caused by the job. The Tesla Semi, with its zero-emission nature and features such as Convoy Mode, which could make driving easier, alleviates some of that risk.
Tesla has been conducting road tests with the Semi since it introduced the fully electric Class 8 truck in late 2017. Since then, both Tesla Semi prototypes have been put to the test. The red-wrapped unit recently even underwent winter testing at Tesla’s Alaska facility.
A recent email from Elon Musk revealed that the Tesla Semi is set to go into volume production soon. Considering Musk was confident enough to bring the Semi into volume production, the specs and final design of the all-electric Class 8 truck are likely to have been settled if they are not already.
The Tesla Semi was announced with a range of 300 or 500 miles, but Elon Musk has mentioned that the production version of the long hauler could have closer to 600 miles of range. With Tesla’s battery day tentatively scheduled for September, Musk’s remarks on the production of the Semi range can be very accurate.
