Tesla has unveiled its long-awaited electric articulated lorry, challenging the dominance of diesel trucks on the road

After some delays, the new Tesla Semi has been launched in California and will go in to production in 2019. Chief executive, Elon Musk, revealed the details and said: “it’s not like any truck you’ve ever driven; we want a vehicle that feels incredible and accelerates like no other.”

Here’s everything you need to know about it:

• The Tesla Semi has a range of 500 miles on a single charge, carrying a maximum load and travelling at 60mph.
• The truck’s range is likely to be much higher than 500 miles without a big load.
• The Tesla Semi can go from 0-60mph in 20 seconds when pulling 36,287kgs (80,000lbs), which is the maximum allowed on US roads.
• Without a load it can go from 0-60mph in five seconds.
• The Tesla Semi can go up a five per cent gradient with a max load at 65mph, which is 20mph faster than a diesel truck.
• Diesel trucks are 20 per cent more expensive than a Semi from day one.
• The truck has just one gear, so there is no need to be constantly changing gear making it much smoother than a normal lorry.
• Motors on each wheel alter torque and means there’s no possibility of jack-knifing.
• The truck’s design was inspired by a bullet and it has a drag coefficient of 0.36.
• Drivers of the Tesla Semi sit centrally instead of to one side and have two touchscreens.
• Reliability is claimed to be exceptional, with the truck going for one million miles before breaking down.
• It comes in a range of colours.
• It runs on solar power and will be able to plug into the new ‘Mega Charger’ network.
• The truck comes with Autopilot as standard, to help the driver with braking and lane keeping.
• The cost to reserve one of the new Tesla Semis is $5000.

Anthony Jones are talking to our insurer partners at the moment about the implications on fleet insurance of new electric and autonomous technology. We will provide further updates as we know more.