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

• 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.

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. 

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.

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.