Tesla Semi electric lorry confirmed for European roads

Tesla has confirmed that its Semi electric lorry will be sold in Europe, nearly a decade after the vehicle was first announced to the public.

The Semi, which was updated last year with revised technology and an exterior refresh that brings it closer in style to the Model Y, is set to be presented at the IAA Transportation show in Hanover, Germany, next month. Tesla says it will use that event to announce European specifications and outline its launch plans for the region.

According to multiple reports, the lorry produces around 1,073bhp and offers a range of up to 325 miles on a single charge, though a longer-range 500-mile version may not be made available in all markets, with the UK potentially missing out on that variant. Tesla is positioning the Semi as a more powerful, more efficient and cheaper-to-operate alternative to existing electric heavy goods vehicles from other manufacturers, such as the Mercedes eActros and the MAN eTGX.

For everyday drivers this news matters less in terms of what they drive themselves, and more in terms of what shares the road with them. Electric HGVs are still a rare sight on British roads, and hauliers have long raised concerns about range, charging availability and how much weight these lorries can carry. If Tesla can bring the same kind of commercial pressure to the lorry market that it brought to passenger cars, it could push competitors to move faster and help normalise electric freight on UK motorways.