Tesla Semi Trucks Log Less Downtime Than Diesels

Why this is here: Tesla’s Semi completed 75% of service visits in under 24 hours during trials, suggesting a potential advantage in minimizing disruptions for transport operators.

Tesla reports its Semi electric trucks experienced less than five percent downtime during their first year of trial operations in the United States. The company recently began full-scale production of the Semi at its Nevada gigafactory, a decade after its initial unveiling. Trial fleets—including Walmart, Costco, and DHL—showed the Semis maintained over 95% uptime, exceeding the 90 to 92% average for diesel trucks.

Tesla offers two Semi variants. The Standard Range model features a 548 kWh battery with over 500 km range.

The Long Range version boasts an 822 kWh battery and exceeds 800 km range when carrying a 37-tonne load. Both use Tesla’s 4680 cells and can charge at 1.2 MW using Tesla Megachargers.

While trial data with DHL showed ranges exceeding 800 km and low energy consumption, broader adoption relies on establishing a more extensive service network. Tesla plans to expand Semi production to Europe, but further real-world data from diverse customer operations is still needed.