Tesla Semi put to work as California aims for zero truck emissions
Tesla's electric truck, the Semi, has been put into service transporting Model 3 sedans to dealerships.
Keen-eyed Twitter users @emanueIreyes and @Westy543 spotted the working Tesla Semi at the end of last month, as the company rushed to fulfil orders and meet its sales targets.
It's believed the coronavirus pandemic has strained logistics, and could account for the Tesla Semi being called into service to transport the Model 3s.
The pictures were taken around the same time that Tesla founder Elon Musk emailed his employees asking that they "go all out" in their efforts, with the hopes of reporting a fourth quarter of profits and securing a place on the S&P 500.
Tesla is now the most valuable car maker in the world, thanks to its share price which continues to surge.
On Wednesday night shares of of the US electric vehicle maker hit US$1133, giving the stock a market capitalisation of US$209.5 billion, and overtaking Toyota's valuation in the process.
Last night Tesla stock continued to push higher, reaching an intraday high of US$1228. The company is now valued at US$224 billion.
California pushes for zero truck emissions
The Tesla Semi might be coming just at the right time for the automaker, as California last week announced new targets for zero emission trucks.
The California Air Resources Board – the state environmental body that has led the world in implementing anti-pollution car regulations for decades – has now mandated that five to nine per cent of trucks on the road in the US state must be zero emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2024.
Depending on the class of truck, that figure rises to 30-50 per cent of all medium and heavy vehicles by 2030.
In California, a medium or heavy truck is defined as weighing more than 3855 kilograms.
The ambitious targets create a favourable market for Tesla and its competitor Nikola, with both companies expected to launch zero emission trucks in the coming years.