Bill Gates Once Said Electrification Wasn't 'Practical For 18-Wheelers'—Elon Musk Says Tesla Semi Truck Will Hit Volume Production In 2026

Benzinga
2025.08.11 10:29
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Elon Musk announced that Tesla will begin volume production of its Semi truck in 2026, responding to Bill Gates' skepticism about all-electric semi trucks. Tesla is also planning to roll out the Semi in Europe and is considering a smaller EV pickup truck. Additionally, Tesla has halted its in-house AI chip development, opting instead for a $16.5 billion partnership with Samsung Electronics for AI6 chips for autonomous driving. Despite strong momentum and growth metrics, Tesla's value is considered poor.

Elon Musk says that Tesla Inc. TSLA will scale up production of the Semi truck in 2026.

Semi Production To Scale Up Next Year

Responding to a post on social media platform X on Monday, which showcased Microsoft Corp. MSFT founder Bill Gates' bearish take on all-electric semi trucks, Musk said that Tesla will scale production of the Semi truck next year.

"Tesla Semi will be in volume production next year," Musk said in his response.

Semi Truck Rollout In Europe, Smaller EV Pickup Plans

The news comes amid recent reports that suggested that the EV giant plans on rolling out the Semi truck in Europe, as the company had appointed Usuf Schemo to head Tesla's Semi operations in Europe.

However, Tesla could also be working on a smaller EV pickup truck as the company's VP of vehicle engineering, Lars Moravy, had recently signaled that the EV giant was currently going over designs in the design studio for a smaller pickup.

Dojo Program Scrapped By Tesla

Elsewhere, Tesla scrapped its in-house AI chip development activities as the company pulled the plug on Dojo. This coincided with Tesla signing a $16.5 billion deal with Samsung Electronics SSNLF to develop AI6 chips for autonomous driving.

Tesla scores well on Momentum, Quality and Growth metrics, but offers poor Value. For more such insights, sign up for Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings today!

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