We Finally Know How Fast The Tesla Semi Will Charge: Very, Very Fast

The trucks can add enough energy to charge six Standard Range Model 3s in 30 minutes. That's what 1.2 Megawatts of power can do.

Tesla Semi facelift

Photo by: Tesla

Rob Stumpf

By: Rob Stumpf

Feb 11, at 2:36pm ET

Add InsideEVs as a preferred source in Google

Comment

Tesla has released the final specs for the long-awaited Semi.
The range-topping trim is said to deliver up to 500 miles of range.
Megawatt charging speeds will deliver 60% of battery capacity—roughly enough to fully charge six Standard Range Model 3s—in just 30 minutes.

The Tesla Semi has lived in this weird limbo since it was first teased nearly a decade ago. The truck is technically real, albeit in very limited production offered only to a few select early customers. Now, Tesla is ready to bring the truck to volume production and has released the final specs for the facelifted, production-ready truck.

Tesla has settled on two trims ahead of deliveries: a Standard Range trim that delivers 325 miles at a fully-loaded weight of 82,000 pounds, and a Long Range variant that reaches 500 miles—both with massive batteries.

Tesla Semi

Photo by: Tesla

Tesla hasn't said exactly how large the batteries in these trucks are; however, it did state that the efficiency is expected to be around 1.7 kilowatt-hours per mile. Doing some back-of-the-napkin math, that suggests an estimated 550 kWh of energy in the Standard Range truck and 875 kWh in the Long Range.

Tesla also says that the trucks will support Tesla's Megawatt Charging System, with the Long Range variant supporting peak charging speeds of up to 1.2 Megawatts. Both trucks will be able to charge up to 60% of their capacity in just 30 minutes.

Standard Range Long Range Range 325 miles 500 miles Curb Weight Under 20,000 pounds 23,000 pounds Rear-Axle Motors 3 3 Driver Power 800 kW 800 kW Charging Support Megawall (MCS 3.2) Megawall (MCS 3.2); Up to 1.2 MW Time to 60% Charge 30 Minutes 30 Minutes Electric Power Take Off (ePTO) Up to 25 kW Up to 25 kW

Given the Cybertruck's range fiasco, it's a breath of fresh air that Tesla was able to not only maintain its original stated range figure for the base-trimmed truck, but actually exceed it. However, it's unclear if Tesla can stick to the original pricing of $150,000 and $180,000. We've seen some evidence that the company is asking for closer to $300,000, but there's no confirmed price yet.

Stay informed with our newsletter every weekday

back

Subscribe For more info, read our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.

What do you think?

View

Comments

The Semi appears to be (at last) crossing the finish line after a long 98-month wait. It's finally reached the point where the specs are locked in, and customers who have been lining up for their chance to buy one will soon finally have the chance.

If Tesla can deliver on its promises—meaning, real trucks with real volume deliveries—it could justify the long silence. Because at the end of the day, logistics is about the bottom line. That's what Tesla promises to address with the Semi, which should have far lower operating costs than a gas truck.

More Tesla Semi News

The Tesla Semi Gets A Cyber Makeover. But Is It Really On Track?

As Tesla Semi Struggles, Volvo Just Sold Its 5,000th Electric Truck

Mack Trucks Is Coming After The Tesla Semi

Tesla Suspends Imports Of Cybercab, Semi Parts From China: Report

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Insideevs.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The InsideEVs team

Share this Story