Musk unveils Tesla Semi trucks at Nevada factory

TOKYO: Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk unveiled the company's first heavy-duty Semi truck on Thursday at an event in the electric automaker's Nevada plant, making its first foray into the trucking industry.

Musk said at the event that the company successfully completed a 500 mile test of the Semi's driving range on Nov. 15 between Fremont and San Diego.

The truck is a Class 8 vehicle, meaning it has a weight limit allowing it to transport more than 33,001 pounds of cargo. It was initially meant to go into production in 2019 after being unveiled in 2017, but plans were delayed due to battery constraints.

Tesla said its other vehicles would used the powertrain in the Semi, and that the company will use the truck in its own supply chain to ship auto components.

Musk said that the Semi has three times the power of any diesel-powered truck, and is the first Tesla vehicle and it is aimed at reduced the outsized emissions of the trucking sector relative to size of the fleet.

Tesla also said that the Semi would use its regenerative braking to recapture kinetic energy to improve efficiency.