Tesla Semi Pricing to Start at $150,000

The Tesla Semi’s price will start at $150,000 for a version with 300 miles of range, while a $180,000 version offers 500 miles of range. A “Founders Series” version will cost $200,000.

The pricing was announced on Tesla’s website, but it will be some time before a configurator is available to understand how additional features will increase the final purchase cost. Tesla hopes to send the truck into production sometime in 2019.

Pre-orders for a base model require a $20,000 deposit, but a “Founders Series” truck requires the entire balance to be paid to secure a spot in the front of the line.

A new diesel truck starts at around $100,000 and Tesla promises up to $200,000 in fuel cost saving over the life of the truck, so the pricing could be attractive to truckers and fleet operators.

 

[Cloxxki]

Both same price?

"The Tesla Semi’s price will start at $150,000 for a version with 300 miles of range, while a $150,000 version offers 500 miles of range. "

 

[Cloxxki]

Would Tesla be "charging" only that ($0.07 ?) low price per kWh megacharged, or is that an estimate using a specially supplied solar park coming with a "home base on site" megacharger?
I can imagine that Tesla just builds and places panels in a field somewhere to offset the power megachargers take out, but curious to know how the energy pricing works exactly. If I were a pretigeous fleet manager, I'd want solar panels spelling out my logo, supplied by Tesla to be trouble free with warrenty.

 

[George S. Bower]

The pricing is lower than almost all the journalists and anaysts predicted.

It's all in the price of the battery. The difference in price between the 300 mile range truck and the 500 mile range truck implies 75$/kwh battery.

 

[Cloxxki]

In the text seems to be an error, at $150K I can choose between 300 or 500 miles of range.

 

[Cloxxki]

The pricing is lower than almost all the journalists and anaysts predicted.

It's all in the price of the battery. The difference in price between the 300 mile range truck and the 500 mile range truck implies 75$/kwh battery.

Yes, Model 3 battery pricing is a slap in the face of "affordable car".
One thing I noticed was that is was mentioned somewhere the trucks actually use the cells as used in the Tesla Energy products. Perhaps for improved cycle life, or less critical density? I would guess the Energy cells to be slower to (dis)charge, but performance and charging figures seem to indicate they're at least as potent.

 

[Chopr147]

Very surprised at the cost. I was expecting in the 250k range. A new Mack truck costs between $120 -- and 170k. Considering the potential savings it's a no brainer at 180k

 

[George S. Bower]

Would Tesla be "charging" only that ($0.07 ?) low price per kWh megacharged, or is that an estimate using a specially supplied solar park coming with a "home base on site" megacharger?

The wholesale price of industrial electricity in the US is 7 cents/kwh.
Industrial Price Comparison

 

[XeonSX]

yeah, $30k for extra 66% battery? That's ridiculously low. I had to think hard between MS 100 and 75. Extra 25KWh for £22k where here we're talking maybe 400KWh for $30k?

 

[Cloxxki]

You guys are getting your prices from somewhere else that the article.
But for sure seems like they're priced to go. I still suspect a preferred package deal with an on side megacharger and solar array, more so now than before.
Still, it seems almost worthwhile to get the big one and just part it out. 800 kWh or more in cells, 4 useful motors and all the hardway to go with it. The carcass is a nice base for a trailerhome.

 

[George S. Bower]

One thing I noticed was that is was mentioned somewhere the trucks actually use the cells as used in the Tesla Energy products. Perhaps for improved cycle life, or less critical density?

Tesla's power packs use a NMC which has a higher cycle life tan NCA but it is also heavier and I can't imagine putting in a heavier battery than the 10000-12000 lb, 1 mwh battery they have using NCA.

I'm guessing that Panasonic has a new battery with higher energy density for both the truck and the Roadster. 2019 is far enough that a next gen battery is a definite possibility.

 

[Cloxxki]

Tesla's power packs use a NMC which has a higher cycle life tan NCA but it is also heavier and I can't imagine putting in a heavier battery than the 10000-12000 lb, 1 mwh battery they have using NCA.

I'm guessing that Panasonic has a new battery with higher energy density for both the truck and the Roadster. 2019 is far enough that a next gen battery is a definite possibility.

I sincerely wish this to be true. It would make the Roadster a more impressive car, and the Semi a more economically sensible one.

 

[George S. Bower]

You guys are getting your prices from somewhere else that the article.
.

180K$ for 500 miles and 150K$ for 300 miles range yes? It implies 1 mwh and 600 kwh as the 2 battery sizes
@ 2 kwh/mile that puts pricing at 75$/kwh.

The 200K$ version is the founders edition.
Tesla Semi Priced From $150,000 (300 Miles Range) & $180,000 (500 Miles Range)

 

[Cloxxki]

180K$ for 500 miles and 150K$ for 300 miles range yes? It implies 1 mwh and 600 kwh as the 2 battery sizes
@ 2 kwh/mile that puts pricing at 75$/kwh.

The 200K$ version is the founders edition.
Tesla Semi Priced From $150,000 (300 Miles Range) & $180,000 (500 Miles Range)

Thanks, that site apparently does have different prices. I just got a popup for this one and responsed. Am I the only one reading what this article offered, or a day behind?
I can hardly believe 2 kWh/mile. 8x more than a Model 3? then again, it states "<2 kWh".

Something is going on with these Semi and Roadster 2020 batteries. I could already hardly imagine such a mass of batteries to be all in the front of that semi.

If Panasonic/Tesla indeed have a giant breakthrough, and from the looks of it could be 100-200% hike in energy density by volume, they would of course also switch over the Energy products. Imagine a 200kWh PowerPack becoming a 600kWh Powerpack? Let alone the impact on S3XY. Those could shed weight and even gain vertical leg room. Or like the Roadster, see currenty unimaginable power and range.

 

[doug]

Original version had a pricing typo which has since been corrected.

I'm shocked how low the price is and how small the price difference is for more range.

 

[Cloxxki]

Original version had a pricing typo which has since been corrected.

I'm shocked how low the price is and how small the price difference is for more range.

Cheers.
It's indeed cheap even if Tesla expects to make 3x the energy density at the same cost. They've not calculated such saving to customers before, that I'm aware of. What happened with cell cost since 2012?

 

[scottm]

This is so cheap I feel I need to have a semi now, maybe cancel the 3 reservation.

Who thought people might cross-shop a model 3 to the semi?!

I sorta thought there was a missing zero in the price they announced...

 

[calisnow]

Does Tesla own any of Panasonic's battery IP? If not, does it at least have some kind of exclusive long-term lock on Panasonic's production? Trying to understand if Panasonic has a big breakthrough - will Tesla benefit exclusively or can Panasonic's contract terms let Panasonic sell to anyone.

 

[Tiger]

Does Tesla own any of Panasonic's battery IP? If not, does it at least have some kind of exclusive long-term lock on Panasonic's production? Trying to understand if Panasonic has a big breakthrough - will Tesla benefit exclusively or can Panasonic's contract terms let Panasonic sell to anyone.

I suspect it's the other way around. Panasonic has a lock down for Tesla to produce fixed amount of old batteries. On the side, they are developing a new technology, but Model S and Model X have to sell out the old tech before moving to new tech. Will lead to Osborne effect with Model S and X when people (like me) wait for the extended range batteries Rumored 130 kWh Model S in light of Roadster announcement

 

[Cloxxki]

Wasn't the 18650 contract expected to run out by now?
Then again, Tesla just isn't ready to produce packs the way they would like to, fully automated.
Seems from reporting that somehow Panasonic got themselves in a position where they are in charge of pack assembly and now also accepting at least part of the fault? I never got the impression that cells are being pumped out of the GF too slowly.
By the time Tesla/Panasonic can properly make packs automatically, will they feel confident the capacity is there to move S&X over to 2170's? Anything less than a 120kWh pack made possible short term IMO renders the whole 2170 a needlessly complicated ploy to reduce cost, cost, cost.