Elon Musk took to the stage last night in Hawthorne, California, to unveil Tesla’s latest supposed game-changer, a fully electric semi truck. The event, which was teased for weeks, gave us our first look at a truck that can travel 500 miles between charges while carrying up to 80,000 pounds. Of course electric power is only one of the big changes we’ll see on roads in the future, as self-driving vehicles seem right around the bend. So it should come as no surprise that Tesla’s electric semi will boast an autopilot system that will make it at least semi-autonomous. It shouldn’t be understated how big of a change it will be if/when self-driving trucks flood the market en masse. While you’re talking about a lot of jobs being wiped out, from actual truck drivers to potentially things like the staff at highway rest stops, you’re also talking about a decrease in accidents. But for now let’s just revel at Tesla’s new vehicle, as it’s pretty attractive in and out. Inside you’ll find the driver’s seat in the middle to offer more cabin storage along with a couple of screens that work with an array of cameras around the truck. It also packs what Musk calls “Tesla armor glass,” which won’t crack so easily when rocks fly off another vehicle’s tires. While hitting dates has never been Tesla’s strong suit, Musk says you can expect to see these trucks on the road in 2019.
Tesla Electric Semi Truck
