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UPS Orders 125 Tesla “Semi” Electric Trucks
United Parcel Service Inc. plans to buy 125 of Tesla Inc.’s all-electric highway trucks when the $200,000 rigs go into production in about 2019.
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United Parcel Service Inc. plans to buy 125 of Tesla Inc.’s all-electric highway trucks when the $200,000 rigs go into production in about 2019.
The UPS order pushes the total number of reservations for the Tesla Semi to more than 400 units since CEO Elon Musk unveiled the truck in mid-November. The U.S. market for the Class 8 trucks with which the Semi will compete averages about 260,000 units per year.
The Semi costs about 50% more than a Class 8 diesel. But Musk says operating costs are significantly lower, and the Tesla tractor’s performance is dramatically better. Tesla claims the Semi can accelerate while towing an 80,000-lb load from zero to 60 mph in 20 seconds and cover 500 highway miles per charge.
Buyers are expected to use the trucks for midrange day trips. UPS, whose fleet already includes trucks powered by electricity, natural gas or propane, tells Reuters it is sharing route data with Tesla to help calculate the Semi’s real-world performance.
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