Uber Freight is launching a program called 'Dedicated EV Fleet Accelerator Program' in partnership with Tesla, aiming to reduce the biggest barrier to adoption of Tesla Semi Class 8: upfront cost.
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The buyer program combines purchase subsidies for Tesla Semis with pre-arranged transportation and route planning around Tesla's Semi charger network, which is currently being developed in the US.
As the name suggests, the Dedicated EV Fleet Accelerator Program aims to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicles in Uber Freight fleets.
Uber had a similar partnership with Tesla for passenger vehicles in its Uber fleet. Uber drivers get discounts on Tesla vehicles, and Tesla integrated Uber's app into its system to work with the navigation and only suggest routes within the vehicle's current range.
Now, Uber Freight will integrate its software into Tesla Semi trucks and help truck drivers find routes that work with the electric trucks. There are still many unknowns about the program. Most notably, we don't know how much Uber and Tesla are subsidizing the trucks.
Tesla initially announced a price of $150,000 for the 300-mile version of the Tesla Semi and $180,000 for the 500-mile version, but that was back in 2017, when the electric truck was first introduced. The vehicle's schedule has been delayed several times since then, and Tesla has not publicly announced the price.
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Recently, an early Tesla Semi customer, Ryder, complained about a “dramatic” price increase. The price may have doubled, based on documents Ryder submitted to authorities to secure financing for its Tesla Semi test fleet.
Now, Uber Freight says Tesla will look at total cost of ownership with potential fleet buyers through its new program. The Tesla Semi is now expected to enter mass production in 2026.
The automaker is also starting to roll out Megacharger stations , EV fast-charging stations designed for commercial electric vehicles, like the Tesla Semi. For now, it's mostly installing Megachargers at its own facilities and those of its early test partners, but there are a few public Megacharger stations on the way.
This is a significant development as Uber Freight offers more job opportunities for those who own an electric truck. This should encourage more fleet managers to accelerate the transition of their fleets to electric vehicles.
Price is often a major barrier to EV adoption, even though the total cost of ownership is often cheaper than that of internal combustion engine vehicles. However, for truck drivers, the total cost of ownership is much more important as it is their business.
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Everything indicates that the Tesla Semi will cost closer to $300,000 than $150,000, and therefore, every parameter is important when making such a large purchase.
