Musk says Tesla Semi to enter high-volume production this year

Elon Musk says Tesla will begin high-volume production of its Semi electric truck this year, signalling a shift from pilot deployments toward broader commercial rollout.

Musk posted the update on X, without providing further detail, but the announcement comes after several years of limited production and trials with major US fleet operators.

The Tesla Semi has been undergoing real-world testing since 2023, including an expanded pilot programme with PepsiCo. In 2024, PepsiCo announced it would more than triple its electric truck fleet, adding another 50 Tesla Semi units to operate from its manufacturing and distribution facilities in California.

As part of that 2024 rollout, PepsiCo installed eight 750-kilowatt Tesla chargers and two Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems at its Fresno site to support the heavy-duty electric trucks. At the time, PepsiCo was operating around 35 Semi units from its Sacramento bottling and distribution facility.

Speaking at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in Las Vegas in May 2024, Tesla executive Dan Priestley said the company was building a dedicated Semi factory in Nevada, with production expected to ramp up ahead of customer deliveries from 2026. The factory’s eventual target capacity is 50,000 units a year, he said.

Priestley said Tesla’s long-range Semi would offer a range of up to 800km, while the standard-range version would be capable of trips of around 480km, depending on configuration.

Since then, other logistics operators have begun testing the truck. In December 2025, DHL Supply Chain added its first all-electric Tesla Semi to its North American fleet as part of its global decarbonisation strategy.

In July 2025, ArcBest completed a three-week real-world trial of a long-range Tesla Semi across intercity freight routes in the western United States, logging more than 7200km during the pilot.

Charging infrastructure is also expanding. This year, Pilot Travel Centers confirmed an agreement with Tesla to install high-power charging hubs for heavy-duty electric trucks along key US freight corridors, with construction due to begin in the first half of 2026 and the first sites opening from mid-2026.

Tesla Semi starts high volume production this year https://t.co/yZLDmkA9EP

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 8, 2026