Tesla has unveiled its new all-electric heavy-duty truck.
According to Fortune, the Tesla Semi will feature a minimalistic look at the front of the cab with a central captain’s chair flanked by two high-tech display screens.
This new electric semi-truck is only a prototype, for now, so it will likely go through a series of small variations before it actually hits production. Tesla is currently working on a growing list of other major projects that will require a lot of time and money.
A big factor in Tesla’s decision to pursue these new automotive ventures is cutting down on maintenance needs. In a recent survey, researchers found that roughly 77% of vehicles on the road were in need of repairs or maintenance. Though these newer high-tech models will likely need to be serviced every once in a while, they will require much less repair and maintenance.
The Tesla Semi will be available in two years and will cost less than diesel trucks because of fuel savings benefits and much lower maintenance expenses.
Though these new models won’t be ready for release until 2019, Wal-Mart just announced in late November that it has already pre-ordered 15 of them.
According CNBC, five of the preordered Tesla Semis will be for Wal-Mart stores in the United States and 10 will be for Canadian use.
“We have a long history of testing new technology — including alternative-fuel trucks — and we are excited to be among the first to pilot this new heavy-duty electric vehicle,” said Wal-Mart officials. “We believe we can learn how this technology performs within our supply chain, as well as how it could help us meet some of our long-term sustainability goals, such as lowering emissions.”
Following Tesla’s new project announcement, the company’s shares closed up 0.8%.