Charged EVs | New fleet customer says Tesla Semi performs “well beyond expectations”

The rollout of the Tesla Semi has been slower than EVangelists would have liked. The electric semi tractor was first unveiled in 2017, and officially entered production in late 2022. Since then, it has been deployed in limited numbers.

Last October, it was reported that Tesla had built about 70 Semis trucks, which were being used internally and by one confirmed customer, PepsiCo. Tesla recently broke ground on a new facility at its Nevada Gigafactory site, where Semis are slated to be produced.

Now Electrek reports that Tesla has delivered Semis to at least one more customer: Martin Brower (MB), a logistics company that serves the restaurant industry and operates a fleet of hundreds of trucks.

MB has confirmed that it used two Tesla Semis in a pilot program earlier this year, and the company’s drivers certainly seem to like them. “A group of five MB drivers…were trained to operate the Tesla Semi, which uniquely positions the steering wheel and driver’s seat in the center of the cockpit and has other design features to increase driver visibility and safety,” MB told Electrek. “Overall, our drivers had positive feedback on how the vehicle performs.”

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“The Tesla Semi rises above any other tractor with mobility, center seat configuration, and precise movement that allows the driver to navigate safely,” said MB driver Casey Kamp.

“The Tesla Semi experience has been impressive since day one,” said Megan Yamaguchi, Assistant Transportation Manager at MB. “Our drivers had no problem learning the systems and maximizing the features that set these tractors apart. We’ve been able to push these tractors well beyond expectations and look forward to our electric future.”

Source: Electrek