Tesla has hired a new head of Business Development for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA), as it prepares for the launch of its Semi truck in the region.
Usuf Schermo, who previously worked for Europe-based companies Volta Trucks and Evum Motors, said this week he joined the Elon Musk-led company two months ago.
The Semi truck was unveiled in 2017 and launched in 2022 — three years after the expected timeline. The truck is powered by three independent motors on rear axles.
The Semi claims a range between 300 and 500 km, with less than 2 kWh per mile (1.24 kWh per km) of energy consumption. According to the EV maker, the truck can charge up to 70% in 30 minutes when using Tesla‘s Semi Chargers.
When the truck was unveiled, Tesla mentioned pricing around $150,000 to $180,000, depending on the range.
At the time of the unveiling, PepsiCo placed an initial order for 100 Tesla Semis, becoming the first company to receive the vehicles. Late last year, only 36 Tesla trucks had been delivered and were in use in its fleet.
Tesla plans to ramp up production of the Semi at its Nevada plant, which began undergoing expansion in early 2024 specifically to accommodate manufacturing of the electric truck.
According to a Business Insider report, the company started hiring more than 1,000 new workers for the Nevada factory in late April.
The job postings were announced just days after Tesla revealed that production of the first Semi trucks will begin by the end of 2025. The plant is expected to manufacture around 50,000 units per year.
By then, the EV maker also said it will be building over 40 Semi Charging stations until early 2027.
The Semi was first displayed in Europe in September 2023, at the IAA Mobility in Hannover, Germany.
Dan Priestley, Senior Manager of Semi Truck Engineering, stated at the event that the model was being adapted for the European market. According to Priestley, it involves both technical regulations and regional freight transport requirements.
According to the executive, the European launch is expected in 2026.
A few months later, during a visit to Tesla‘s electric vehicle factory in Brandenburg, Germany, CEO Elon Musk suggested that the Semi could potentially be produced there.
However, aside from the planned production in the U.S., no other plans have been announced.
