Tesla rolled its first Semi truck off a high‑volume line at the 1.7‑million‑sq‑ft Gigafactory Nevada, turning a long‑delayed prototype into a factory‑ready vehicle. The move signals a shift from hand‑built pilots to a plant designed for 50,000 units a year.

The Semi’s debut follows three years of weight reduction and design tweaks that trimmed 1,000 lbs and sharpened battery efficiency. Tesla now offers a Standard Range trim with 325 miles and a Long Range version that reaches 500 miles, priced at $260,000 and $290,000 respectively.

Vertical integration gives the Nevada site a key advantage: the 4680 battery cells are produced on‑site, removing the supply‑chain bottlenecks that stalled earlier launches. The 800‑kW tri‑motor drivetrain delivers 1,072 hp and supports 1.2‑MW Megacharger charging, topping 60% of range in about 30 minutes.

With a 3% total‑cost‑of‑ownership edge over diesel and a competitive price, Tesla’s Semi positions itself as the most affordable Class 8 electric tractor. If production and charging infrastructure scale as planned, the truck could reshape freight logistics just as the Model 3 reshaped passenger cars.