Elon Musk says Tesla to deliver first 100 electric trucks to Pepsi by December 2022

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that they will supply the long overdue 100 semi-trucks to Pepsi with less than 2 kWh per mile of energy consumption and a range of 500 miles.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Friday that Tesla has begun manufacture of its long-delayed semi truck, which will have a range of 500 miles (800 km) and first arrive at Pepsi operations. By December 1, the soft drink company will receive the first semi trucks from the electric vehicle manufacturer. "Excited to announce the start of production of the Tesla Semi Truck with deliveries to @Pepsi on Dec 1st!" he tweeted . He continued, "500 mile range and super fun to drive." 100 Semi Trucks were ordered by Pepsi in December 2017, one month after they were disclosed. A Tesla Semi Truck may be reserved for $20,000 in advance.

The base model will come at an expected price of $150,000, and the more expensive model is expected to start at $180,000. According to Tesla, the Semi truck can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in 20 seconds, even when "fully loaded," and "maintain highway-level speeds even up steep grades."

The company also said the vehicle will get recharged up to 70 percent of its travel range in just 30 minutes. Semi comes with standard active safety features that pair with advanced motor and brake controls to deliver traction and stability in all conditions.

A central seating position gives the driver better visibility, while an all-electric architecture reduces both rollover risk and cabin intrusion in case of an accident, according to the company.

"With less than 2 kWh per mile of energy consumption, Semi can travel up to 500 miles on a single charge," said the company. Charging with electricity is approximately 2.5 times cheaper per mile than refueling with diesel.

"Operators can see estimated fuel savings of up to $200,000 within their first three years of ownership. With remote diagnostics, over-the-air software updates, and fewer moving parts to maintain, operators will spend less time at service centres and more time on the road," said Tesla.

With inputs from IANS