Tesla eyes European freight market with long-delayed Semi truck

Tesla Inc has announced plans to expand the availability of its all-electric Semi truck into the European market, marking a key international expansion into heavy-duty commercial freight where European rivals already operate. The automaker will officially disclose specific European configurations, technical details, and rollout plans at the IAA Transportation trade show in Hanover, Germany. The push into Europe arrives nearly a decade after Tesla first unveiled the Semi prototype in 2017, following successive manufacturing delays due to battery cell allocation priorities. While initial U.S. deliveries began on a limited scale to corporate customers like PepsiCo in late 2022, Tesla's updated timeline points to manufacturing commencement in 2026. According to Tesla's German platform, the European-spec Semi boasts an operating range of up to 550 kilometers (342 miles) at a maximum gross combination weight of 40 tonnes. It operates at approximately 1 kilowatt-hour per kilometer, weighs roughly 9,100 kilograms without a trailer, and can recover 60% of its battery range in 30 minutes via 800-kilowatt Megachargers.