Matthew Humphries

Elon Musk is already well on the way to revolutionizing the car industry for its inevitable electric future. But late yesterday, Musk revealed how he plans to do the same for the trucking industry with the Tesla Semi.

On stage the Semi looked great, on paper it looks almost unbelievable.

As The Verge reports, the Tesla Semi promises to deliver a 500-mile range on a single charge. To be clear, that’s 500 miles driving with 80,000 pounds of cargo loaded in the back. While carrying all that weight the Semi can reach speeds of 65mph up a 5 percent grade climb (diesel trucks only manage 45mph) and the Semi easily out-accelerates a diesel truck regardless of the weight being carried.

Other impressive features Musk divulged included a 400-mile range achieved with only a 30-minute charge. Four independent motors on the rear axles allow Tesla to make it impossible for the Semi to jackknife. It also means you’ll never have to change the brake pads, as most of the kinetic braking energy gets fed back into the battery rather than wearing the pads down.

Another thing that never needs changing is the windshield, as the glass is so strong it can withstand a thermo-nuclear explosion blast. Other safety features include automatic emergency braking, automatic lane keeping, and a forward-collision warning system.

What Tesla promises with the Semi is a truck that’s simply more economical, reliable, safer, faster, and environmentally friendly compared to diesel trucks. The reliability is backed up by a million-mile drivetrain guarantee, it says.

As for economics, Musk broke it down to a cost per mile. Simply put, a diesel truck costs $1.51 per mile travelled taking into account the total cost of operation. The Tesla Semi only costs $1.26 per mile, and that’s carrying 80,000 pounds and travelling at an average speed of 60mph.

The Tesla Semi can be ordered now with production beginning in 2019. Reservations require a $5,000 deposit and Bloomberg reports grocery chain Meijer Inc. was first out of the blocks, reserving four Semi trucks to add to its fleet. Final pricing has yet to be revealed.

Also last night, Musk revealed a brand new high-tech car: a revamped Tesla Roadster he brought on stage in the back of a Semi.