Tesla Semi Demand Hits 'Ridiculous' Levels: Musk Says Traditional Trucks Face a Major Shake-Up

Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed soaring demand for the Tesla Semi, labeling it “ridiculous” due to the electric truck’s cost efficiency and eco-advantages. Musk insists companies relying on diesel trucks will fall behind as the Class 8 vehicle gains traction for transforming freight transport.

Tesla Semi Demand Reaches 'Ridiculous' Levels

According to Teslarati, the demand for the Tesla Semi is "ridiculous," CEO Elon Musk said on the third quarter earnings call. As a result of the Class 8 all-electric truck's ridiculously cheap running expenses, businesses were compelled to use it.

“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 stated during the earnings call for Q3 2024.

Cost-Effective and Cleaner Road Impact

In addition to its cheap running expenses, the Tesla Semi also has a small advantage for the roadways.

During the inaugural delivery event of the Semi, the CEO brought attention to the fact that conventional semi trucks, which only account for around 1% of all vehicles on the road, produce 20% of all emissions. This suggests that the Semi may be the Tesla model with the most potential to contribute to air pollution prevention.

Tesla VP Highlights Urban Clean Air Potential

Lars Moravy, VP of vehicle engineering at Tesla, brought this up recently in a remark on X, a social media platform.

The message from Tesla's official account mentioned that more electric vehicles on the road equals calmer cities and highways. In response, Moravy brought up the fact that clean air in urban areas is within reach, referencing the lockdowns of a few years ago.

Tesla Semi Set for Mass Rollout

Also, Moravy gave us some news about the Tesla Semi, saying that we may expect to see a flood of them very soon. "Tesla Semi is coming in mass shortly and we made it so compelling, anyone who does not use it will be left behind! Tesla’s goal – make products people love – or in this case, heavy goods transportation companies,” Moravy stated in his post.

Class 8 all-electric trucks from Tesla are already in use by companies like PepsiCo, even though the Semi is still in its early stages of manufacture.

Semi Production Expansion Plans for 2025

In its Q3 2024 Update Letter, the business stated that "preparation of the Semi factory continues and remains on track with builds scheduled to start by the end of 2025," suggesting that production of the Tesla Semi will also likely accelerate next year.