By Abhirup Roy
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Tesla is set to roll out its Semi trucks late on Thursday at an inauguration of its plant in Sparks, Nevada, the EV maker said on its website and social media, almost nine years after CEO Elon Musk unveiled the electric big rigs.
The Semi, designed for long-haul freight with a range of up to 500 miles, was first unveiled in 2017 and production was expected to start in 2019.
The first truck eventually rolled off the high-volume production line in April
and volume production was set to start this year. However, Tesla's July shareholder letter said that production of Semi would begin in 2026, removing an earlier forecast for volume production this year.
The Semi expands the market for Tesla, known for its electric sedans and SUVs, into commercial freight haulers at a time when diesel prices in the United States have soared to record highs.
Tesla began limited deliveries to customers including PepsiCo in the US in late 2022. Delays, rising competition and reversal in EV policies in the United States have since raised concerns about demand.
Still, Tesla this week received an order for 2,500 Semis from a coalition of the world's largest cargo-owning shippers, including Microsoft and PepsiCo, according to clean transportation nonprofit Catalyst Mobility. That is nearly double the existing US fleet of electric Class 8 trucks, the nonprofit said.
Last month, Swedish freight technology company Einride AB announced a deal to add 500 Semi trucks to its fleet.
Tesla had said the Nevada factory was being set up to run at an annual capacity of up to 50,000 units. Tesla investors and fans online have said they expect details on how Tesla plans to ramp up production of Semis, prices, and names of major customers.
(Reporting by Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
