When Tesla unveiled its Semi electric truck last week, everyone agreed that it looked cool, but some actual truckers weren’t necessarily sold on its functionality. Most observers will be impressed with the pricing if it holds, though. Tesla has listed estimated price on its Semi website for the 300- and 500-mile versions of $150,000 and $180,000 respectively, less than some pundits predicted. The fancier Founders Series, with the top specs, will cost $200,000.
Looking at the $180,000 model, it’s still around $60,000 more than a diesel-powered semi truck. However, the Semi could cost around 20 percent less to run, Tesla estimates, putting savings over a million miles at around $250,000.
The Tesla Semi will improve the trucker experience with an Enhanced Autopilot (automatic emergency braking, automatic lane keeping and lane departure warning) that will improve safety for drivers and other vehicles. It also features jackknife protection, sensors and cameras meant to reduce blind spots. For a truck it’ll also have crazy acceleration, which could be useful for hill-climbing and other chores.
