After the bravado, is the Tesla Semi doomed to failure?

Technological marvel, the Tesla electric truck remains very difficult to produce. To the point of disconnecting it from reality?

It is well known that the most demanding customers in the world are trucking companies. Any immobilization, delay, or uncertainty in the schedule results in tens of thousands of euros lost. Therefore, any risk is eliminated, such as signing a fleet contract for semi-trailers that haul goods almost 24 hours a day across a continent. Whether in the United States, Europe, or Asia.

This is probably the challenge currently being experienced by Tesla with its Semi. The American manufacturer has updated its production targets for all its vehicles, including the recent Cybertruck. Unfortunately, no figures are provided for the Semi line, evidence that production will still be artisanal. A drip feeding that leaves room for electric competitors: Mercedes, Volvo, Scania, or Freightliner among Americans.

Building Credibility

The world of road transport is inherently pragmatic. Without falling into clichés, it does not favor cutting-edge technologies but rather what is reliable, effective, and affordable. Trusting a utopian figure like Elon Musk is already more of an adventurous move when the stakes are so high.

This is not about a family car that can be replaced after a breakdown in a few days or weeks with a courtesy vehicle. Logistics trucks cost hundreds of thousands of euros, and their residual value has always been maintained despite the mileage. What about electric trucks in all this?

When taking the big leap into the unknown of electric vehicles, transport companies seem to prefer doing so with long-standing partners. Partners they trust in terms of seriousness, business relationship, problem management, and after-sales service quality. Once again, Tesla has a lot to build—from technical credibility to customer relations. Years and years of investment that social media alone cannot erase.

Pepsi has heavily promoted its 20 Tesla Semi electric trucks, but since then? Its rival Coca-Cola has opted for safety with Freightliner. Nonetheless, the Tesla Semi has had the merit of initiating the movement toward electric trucks and changing mentalities. The American trailblazer can never be taken away from that accomplishment.

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