Tesla Semi enters volume production in Nevada: 25,000 a year now, 50,000 planned

Nine years after it was unveiled, the Tesla Semi is finally being built at volume. Tesla's Q3 2026 update says it "rolled out the updated Tesla Semi that is produced on our high-volume manufacturing line in Nevada", and the dedicated factory near Sparks, outside Reno, opened with an event on 24 September.

The numbers

• Installed capacity: 25,000 trucks a year, according to Tesla's Q3 capacity table.
• Planned capacity: 50,000 a year, or about 1,000 a week, according to Semi engineering director Dan Priestley at the opening. He also said the ramp would bring "more than 3,000 jobs".
• Hiring: 103 Semi job openings at Sparks as of 16 October (reported, from Tesla's careers site).
• Before the new line: a pilot fleet of just under 200 trucks, run by customers including PepsiCo, DHL and US Foods (reported).
• Output so far: n/p. Tesla hasn't published a build rate. Fans have counted about 55 new Semis parked at the Nevada site (reported, from photos posted on X). That's a sighting, not a production figure.

Range and Europe

Tesla quotes up to 500 miles (about 805 km) of range for long-haul versions. Commercial deliveries in the US widen through 2027, and Tesla has said it will enter Europe in 2027 (reported).

Is it coming to Australia?

Tesla hasn't announced the Semi for Australia or given a timeline. Australia's road rules on width and axle loads for heavy vehicles differ from the US, and Tesla hasn't said whether it plans a right-hand-drive version. Until it does, the Semi is something to watch here, not something you can order.