Electric vehicles drive half as far as gas-powered vehicles before requiring a recharge, on average. That’s for smaller, consumer-friendly vehicles, versus large haulers or semi-trucks, which require much more power and energy to operate. The more power needed, the bigger the battery system and the heavier the vehicle, so it stands to reason that the range might be altered for bigger trucks, too.
According to Tesla, the Semi, its semi-trailer version of the electric vehicle, has a range of up to 500 miles, about three times less than the range of a typical diesel-powered semi — which is about 1,500 to 2,000 miles. If Tesla’s predicted range for the Semi is true, it’s pretty impressive, but sometimes, there are discrepancies between what a company reports and what happens in the real world. Tesla promised a big range limit for the Cybertruck, as well — 325 miles per charge, versus 226 to 293 in the real world.
Data from Run on Less — Messy Middle might reveal that Tesla’s Semi isn’t quite offering that 500 mile range to road-faring drivers. The goal of Run on Less is to collect data about transport and logistics vehicles, using alternative powertrain options like electric power, to help investigate and discover infrastructure needs. In the case of Tesla, Run on Less recorded data from the EV company’s partnership with PepsiCo, tracking Tesla Semis during delivery runs and recording mileage and charging stops.
Nevertheless, 2023 data shows that Tesla Semis averaged 794 miles per day, with the trucks getting anywhere from 227 to 377 miles per charge. While this is slightly less than Tesla promised, it’s worth noting that the trucks did not stop at 0% battery capacity each time.
Why is the real world range different?
What Tesla promises and what the Semis achieve may differ slightly for one major reason. That’s because the actual range of Tesla Semis in the wild is going to depend on a lot of different factors, including the cargo being transported, the weather conditions while driving, the trip itself, traffic, and much more. With Run on Less and the PepsiCo example, the Semis were reportedly hauling heavy loads. In addition, Tesla is planning Semi updates for 2026 to 2027, which introduce Standard and Long Range units — 300 to 500 mile ranges, respectively — along with aerodynamic and efficiency advancements. Range estimates may change once those updated vehicles are available.
It’s worth noting that there have been several delays in Tesla’s regular production of the Semi, with plans to ramp up development and annual production to 50,000 units. The Tesla Semi showcased some insane acceleration back in 2018 when it was initially being demoed — and before it landed in the hands of PepsiCo. It’s clearly still being worked on, and some of the performance specifications and features may change between now and its official launch. It’s difficult to say if the real world range will increase or decrease by then, but for now we know that 500 miles isn’t quite doable just yet. That said, even though the Tesla Semi still has a way to go, electric cars with a 3,000-mile range may soon be a reality.
