Suzanne Humphries
Remember last year, when Tesla said it was going to push back the arrival date of its futuristic Semi truck until this year? Well, Tesla just did it again. Now, the Semi won’t isn’t slated to hit the road until sometime in 2022, according to the company’s most recent earnings call.
The automaker told its shareholders that it was citing supply chain issues and a battery cell shortage as the causes of the release delay. It did not offer additional elaboration, especially regarding whether or not the shortages were due to the pandemic.
The statement reads “We believe we remain on track to build our first Model Y vehicles in Berlin and Austin in 2021. The pace of the respective production ramps will be influenced by the successful introduction of many new product and manufacturing technologies, ongoing supply-chain-related challenges and regional permitting.
“To better focus on these factories, and due to the limited availability of battery cells and global supply chain challenges, we have shifted the launch of the Semi truck program to 2022. We are also making progress on the industrialization of Cybertruck, which is currently planned for Austin production subsequent to Model Y.”
According to TechCrunch, the announcement of the Semi’s delay comes not long after the departure of Jerome Guillen, an executive overseeing the development and production of the truck. Guillen headed that department for three moves. The company hasn’t made a statement on whether or not the two incidents are connected.
The Tesla Semi was initially announced in 2017, and offered a promising alternative and upgrade for the trucking industry. The electric semi boasts a 500-mile range, an Enhanced Autopilot feature, and relies on Tesla’s Supercharger network. Although tests with the truck have already been carried out across the United States, the truck can’t enter commercial production without all of the necessary components.
via Engadget
