EVwire brief: Käppeli, a Swiss logistics and trucking firm, has converted a seven-year-old reservation into an official order. The company has confirmed that its 2019 pre-order for a Tesla Semi became a firm purchase order at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, Germany, with the truck expected to join its fleet in 2027.
Käppeli's Mike Ritter placed the original pre-order back in 2019, during a visit to Tesla's factory in Fremont, California. Seven years later, the company made it official.
Käppeli shared the news on LinkedIn (translated from German):
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Käppeli frame the order around real-world performance, writing:
"Individual performance figures or a particular brand are less important. What will be decisive is how the vehicle proves itself under real European operating conditions — in terms of payload, range, charging infrastructure, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness."
"We don't see the Tesla Semi as the answer to every question about the future of mobility. Rather, we want to test and deploy new technologies wherever they make ecological and economic sense for our transport operations. In 2027, we'll see where the Tesla Semi can play to its strengths in our everyday operations."
A Euro-spec Tesla Semi in Käppeli’s colors. Render by EVwire.com.
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Context:
Tesla's European Semi made its latest public appearance at IAA Transportation 2026, where three Europe-spec trucks were displayed. Two were available for test rides, while another was displayed at Tesla's booth.
The Tesla Semi European version has several changes compared with the North American truck, including camera-based side mirrors, conventional separated headlights, revised cab lights and an emergency escape ladder. Tesla also told EVwire that the European Semi uses 10 cameras to provide a 360-degree view around the truck.
Tesla's published European specifications put the truck's range at 550 km (342 miles) at a full 40-tonne (88,185-pound) gross combination weight, with energy consumption of 1.0 kWh/km. Tesla says its Megacharger can recover roughly 60% of the battery in 30 minutes, with charging power reaching 800 kW. European deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027.
Source: Käppeli on LinkedIn
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