Tesla is building a low volume Tesla Semi production line and, once completed, Tesla plans to produce 5 Tesla Semi electric trucks a week, reports Yahoo! Finance. The article noted that the low-volume production line is being built in a new building in the industrial park where Nevada Gigafactory is located. Tesla is also still planning the volume production of the Semi trucks to be manufactured in Giga Texas, once it is able to increase the production of batteries there.
On Monday, Tesla received a new order for 10 of its Semi EVs along with two Megachargers. Benzinga reported that this was supported by nearly $ 2 million in support from the federal government. Mobile Source’s Air Pollution Review Committee is investing in a clean transportation initiative on the southern California coast. As part of that investment, it awarded MXS Leasing LLC, a California-based logistics company, $ 1.8 million for the deployment of 10 Tesla Class 8 semi trucks and an additional $ 560,000 for the deployment of two electric overhead cranes .
Demand is no problem, but the supply of short-term cells makes it difficult to scale Semi. This limitation will be less expensive next year.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 30, 2021
Momentum, the company that helped MHX with its funding request, said the deal includes two Megachargers on MXH’s Fontana, Calif. Website. Shortly after the news was released, Tesla’s Elon Musk tweeted that the demand for the Semi is not a problem, but that the supply of short-term cells makes it difficult to scale the Semi. He also noted that this limitation will be less expensive next year.
Although many seem to see this as another delay, it should be noted, as Teslarati pointed out, that Elon Musk was talking about the difficulties of scale the manufacture of the Semi. The idea of Tesla actually producing its first semis in 2021 still seems possible. This thinking appears to be supported by the new report noting that Tesla plans to produce 5 of its Semis on a weekly basis once the low-volume production line is completed.
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