The Tesla Electric Semi truck is still in development. Currently, it is taking the backseat because the Model 3 is the company's top priority for their development team.
According to The Daily Dot, Elon Musk, the CEO of the Silicon Valley electric vehicle manufacturer, confirmed the news on the Semi truck via Twitter. Musk stated that the company's Jerome Guillen still continues to apply his electric truck know-how to their Semi project.
@FredericLambert Yes, but Model 3 is the overwhelming priority — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 5, 2017
Originally posted last summer, there has been widespread interest in the company's electric commercial truck. Back then, Musk claimed that the early versions of the Semi-electric truck and possibly buses could be released this year.
Guillen initially worked for Daimler in a leading role in its venture with Freightliner. This was done through the US Department of Energy's SuperTruck initiative. They heavy duty test truck first rolled out in 2010 and was able to get 12.2 miles per gallon fuel economy rating. This was double the DOE's initial goal for the SuperTruck program.
In 2012, Guillen transferred to Tesla. According to Hybrid Cars, the Silicon Valley company also hired other key Daimler engineers who also worked on the same program such as Evan Chenoweth. Chenoweth was formerly the lead designer of Freightliner's SuperTruck hybrid engine. He is now a senior mechanical design engineer for Musk's company.
Clean Semi trucks and urban medium-duty trucks are getting more and more support and credibility. This is because the US government keeps on issuing more stringent fuel economy and emissions rules. Last year, Mercedes-Benz even introduced its Urban eTruck, which can allegedly go up to 124 miles on a single charge. This is ideal for urban delivery as well as short hauls most especially because it can meet clean air rules.
Nikola Motor Co. and Toyota are also gaining attention for their efforts with green vehicles. Nikola One is a zero-emission heavy-duty truck that runs on a lithium-ion battery pack as well as hydrogen fuel cells. Toyota's Mirai fuel cell is also expanding into new markets. Honda has also developed a Clarity fuel cell of their own.
The Tesla Semi truck may still come later this year. Do you think it will be as important or even more important than the Tesla Model 3? Share your thoughts and comments below.
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