Several big companies have already stepped up to reserve the Tesla Semi.
Wal-Mart, which currently has a fleet of 6,000 trucks, says it will order 15 Tesla Semis. J.B. Hunt Transport Services announced that it plans to buy “multiple” Tesla trucks. And, Meijer Inc., a Michigan-based grocery chain, has reserved four Tesla Semi trucks, Bloomberg reported.
Reservations require a $5,000 deposit.
The specs quoted for the Tesla Semi certainly exceed those of a diesel truck and have to entice fleet operators. Tesla says the truck will have a 500-mile range per charge and the ability to charge 400 miles in just 30 minutes when using a new high-speed “Megacharger.”
The truck also has a swiftness not found in diesel trucks. It can go from 0-60 miles per hour in five seconds without a trailer. With 80,000 pounds of cargo, it can also hit 60 in 20 seconds.