The Semi is finally real

Tesla is betting its Semi can transform freight transport with lower costs, longer range, and cleaner energy as diesel prices rise

Andy Alfaro/Modesto Bee/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

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Two decades ago, Tesla $TSLA did something the auto industry considered impossible. It convinced consumers that a battery-powered car could be desirable, fast, and practical — and almost single-handedly built the electric vehicle market.

Earlier this month, Tesla delivered the very last Model S and Model X $TWTR off its production line, ending the run of the two vehicles that started it all. 

The factory space will now be used to try the same trick with big rigs. And the timing could hardly be better.

The case for the Semi

After almost a decade of delays since Elon Musk first unveiled the vehicle at a theatrical event in Los Angeles, Tesla has opened a high-volume assembly line in Nevada and started taking real........

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