The Tesla Semi will make its European debut in September, though initially only as a display and test vehicle at the IAA Transportation 2024, Europe's most significant transportation event, scheduled from September 17 to 22, 2024. Tesla, under the leadership of Elon Musk, is listed as an exhibitor at the event (Hall 12, Stand B01 and Hall 11, Stand TD17), with the Semi also included in the list of test vehicles. Video and photographic evidence circulating on social media further confirms the presence of the Tesla Semi en route to the German event on a Gruber Logistics truck.
The specifics of Tesla’s plans to introduce the Semi to the European market remain under wraps until the IAA 2024 officially opens. However, a LinkedIn post from mid-August by Graham Carroll, Tesla's Business Development Manager, hints at the company's intentions: "We are taking steps to bring the Tesla Semi to Europe and I'm looking for someone with industry experience in electrification to help us develop this exciting new market. This is a groundbreaking product that meaningfully advances Tesla's mission, and the team behind it is world-class. Let the wild rumpus begin”.
The Tesla Semi program has faced delays, even in the United States, where mass production has yet to commence. Elon Musk first unveiled the Semi prototype in November 2017, with production originally slated to begin in 2019. However, the start of production was postponed several times—to 2020, then 2021, and again to 2022. The first non-prototype units rolled off the assembly line at the end of 2022, and to date, around 100 trucks are operational, mainly in California, where they are used by Pepsi. Other companies, including Sysco, Walmart, and Cisco, are also testing the Semi.
In a recent incident, a Tesla Semi caught fire following an accident on August 21, 2024, on Interstate 80 near Emigrant Gap, California. While no one was injured, the truck's flames ignited a brush fire, leading to the closure of the highway for several hours. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into what is believed to be the first accident involving Tesla's electric truck.
Meanwhile, Tesla has begun constructing a new factory dedicated to the Semi near its Gigafactory in Storey County, Nevada, which is expected to become operational by the end of 2025. This facility will allow Tesla to scale up from its current limited production to higher volumes. In Europe, the company may consider producing the Semi at its Gigafactory in Berlin.
