Tesla semi debut now set for November

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Updated Oct 10, 2017

Tesla‘s long-rumored electric semi will now make its debut next month company founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted Friday. The tractor was originally slated to roll out last month before being pushed back to the end of this month, announcements Musk also made via his Twitter account.

Musk’s new tentative date, Nov. 16, marks the second time the Silicon Valley carmaker has rescheduled the truck’s premiere.

Musk says he’s diverting resources previously allocated to the heavy truck project to remedying a Model 3 production logjam and increasing battery production for Puerto Rico and other areas affected by the rash of recent hurricanes.

Tesla reportedly produced only 260 Model 3 sedans during the third quarter – about five-times less than the number the company expected to manufacture in September alone. By clearing the “bottlenecks,” Musk says he’s hoping to ramp up Model 3 production.

“We are deep in production hell,” Musk replied to a follower Friday.

Musk has also reportedly spoken with Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello about using the company’s batteries and solar panels to bring electricity back to the island following Hurricane Maria.

News of the delay comes just a few days after a rumored photo of the electric tractor was posted to Reddit and became widely circulated.

Speculation around the tractor’s design and range have swirled most of this year but Musk tweeted Friday, “Semi specs are better than anything I’ve seen reported so far. Semi eng/design team work is aces, but other needs are greater right now.”

Jason Cannon has written about trucking and transportation for more than a decade and serves as Chief Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. A Class A CDL holder, Jason is a graduate of the Porsche Sport Driving School, an honorary Duckmaster at The Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee, and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Reach him at [email protected]