EVwire brief: Tesla is preparing to bring dedicated Semi charging infrastructure to Metro Detroit as the company expands support for its Class 8 electric truck across the United States.
The plans were revealed during the inaugural Multi-Modal eMobility Summit at Grosse Ile Municipal Airport, where Tesla displayed its 500-mile Semi for the first time publicly in Michigan. Company representatives said Tesla has already begun surveying potential sites and is working with utility provider DTE Energy, though a final location has not yet been selected.
Photos of the event, which featured ride-and-drive sessions with the Tesla Semi, were shared on X by community member @SERobinsonJr.
As per Tesla representatives at the event, Michigan currently has no charging sites for the Tesla Semi. The state was identified as a strategic market because of its extensive freight network and international border crossings.
Tesla also reiterated that the Semi will be offered in 325-mile and 500-mile variants. The company noted that the truck can recover up to 60% of its driving range in approximately 30 minutes using its Megawatt Charging System (MCS).
Jason Gies, who works on Tesla's Semi charging programs and grew up in Michigan, was at the summit and shared the news on LinkedIn. Gies stated that it was meaningful to help announce the project in his home state.
"Proud to have been on the ground helping share the news: Tesla is bringing semi-truck charging infrastructure to Metro Detroit."
Context:
The Detroit plan lands as the Semi program picks up speed on several fronts. Tesla is ramping the truck toward high-volume production at its new Nevada factory this year, and the buying case keeps getting sweeter. For one, the Port of Los Angeles recently launched an incentive worth up to $300,000 per truck for electric Class 8 rigs like the Semi.
The truck is set to get smarter, too. On Tesla's Q2 earnings call, Elon Musk said the company will point its self-driving effort at the Semi around the end of 2026 or early 2027, calling an autonomous Semi "very important" for easing the shortage of truck drivers.
Source: MLive, Jason Gies on LinkedIn
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