Elon Musk says Tesla's semi truck is fast---and not just 'fast for a truck.' It can go from zero to 60 mph in 5 seconds, or twenty seconds while carrying 80,000 pounds. To give you an idea of its acceleration, check out the video above.
YouTuber Richard Fielder posted the clip, which shows a Tesla Semi prototype driving down a street in an industrial area of the Bay Area where they are being tested. As you can see---and hear--- in the video, the class 8 truck blasts down the road once it passes the 25 mph speed limit sign.
It was back in April 2017 when Musk said Tesla was planning to unveil its electric semi truck in September. While he may have been a month out, the company did reveal the vehicle, along with what it then claimed to be the "fastest production car in the world," at the end of the year.
The Tesla Semi starts at around $150,000 for a model with a range limited to 300 miles. A version with a 500-mile range is available for an extra $30,000. There will also be a Founders Edition available that comes with a price tag of $200,000, which guarantees you one of the first 1000 off the production line.
Musk said the average cost of operating a Tesla Semi, which has a motor for each wheel, will be 85 cents per mile, cheaper than the average cost of $1.51 for diesel trucks. He added that controlling one of the vehicles is simple. "I can drive this thing, and I have no idea how to drive a semi," said the CEO.
Tesla says production of its semi truck will begin in 2019.