The Tesla Semi Will get A Cyber Makeover. However Is It Actually On Observe?

• Tesla has refreshed the Semi truck’s design to match the look of the revised Mannequin Y, the Cybertruck and the Cybercab.
• It will get a full-width gentle bar, a brand new bumper and aero tweaks to convey its design updated.
• Tesla says the truck is now extra environment friendly, it might probably tow extra and is “designed for autonomy.”

The Tesla Semi must be the one automobile that we all know of that obtained a mid-lifecycle facelift with out technically being in manufacturing—solely a handful have been constructed to date. Nonetheless, that’s precisely what occurred as Tesla quietly unveiled an up to date Semi yesterday, which it has redesigned to obtain the brand new household face, in addition to a collection of technical enhancements.

Tesla revealed the Semi in 2017 with plans to begin constructing it in 2019, however it has stored pushing again its manufacturing begin date. Throughout yesterday’s annual shareholder assembly, Elon Musk reaffirmed the corporate’s plan to start quantity Semi manufacturing subsequent 12 months, promising to place an finish to what has confirmed to be a painfully gradual rollout.

Photograph by: Tesla

The revised Semi includes a full-width gentle bar up entrance, which does away with the outdated headlight design that basically dated its look. We solely have one picture to go by, however what it exhibits is a design change that lastly makes the truck seem like the futuristic film prop that all of us hoped it will be. The entrance bumper can also be totally different, now that includes what seem like aero channels (presumably to chill the brakes), and it additionally has new cameras positioned on pods behind the entrance wheels.

The decrease a part of the automobile is obscured, so there could also be some extra visible adjustments hiding there, like redesigned aero wheels. It might additionally function greater plastic cladding on the edges of the automobile, as there appears to be much less house between the door deal with and the black half in comparison with all different Semis we’ve seen to date.

Tesla stated effectivity and payload had additionally been improved as a part of the replace and in addition famous that the truck was now “designed for autonomy.” Its peak charging energy was unchanged—nonetheless 1.2 megawattspermitting it to regain 70% of its vary in a 30-minute charging session—and it might probably go 500 miles on one cost, with a mean effectivity of 1.7 miles/kWh. That’s greater than the 1.55 miles/kWh effectivity that the truck achieved over a three-week trial interval when it hauled freight for logistics firm ArcBest.

Full-scale manufacturing of the Semi hasn’t began but as a result of the brand new Nevada manufacturing facility the place it is going to be constructed is not prepared but. It was alleged to turn out to be operational in late 2025, however now that has been pushed to early subsequent 12 months. Tesla stated throughout its Q3 earnings name that the manufacturing facility was “nearing completion,” however did not share any extra particulars or a completion date.