• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Elon Musk

Watch the First Footage of a Tesla Semi in the Real World

By
David Z. Morris
David Z. Morris
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Z. Morris
David Z. Morris
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 21, 2018, 11:16 AM ET

Just two months after its official unveiling, the Tesla Semi is really really real.

A UPS worker in California last week captured the first known footage of a Semi in action, rolling through Sunnyvale, California. The clip is brief, but revealing.

Most obviously, that’s a pretty quiet truck — as one commenter put it, it’s “what the future sounds like.”

CleanTechnica did some additional digging, and says the truck was likely traveling between Tesla headquarters in Palo Alto and Tesla’s factory in Fremont, where the company manufactures Model S, X, and 3 cars.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Teslarati further speculates that the truck could be deployed as part of Tesla’s own supply chain, based on prior statements that the company would be using its own product. Also notably, the truck captured in the video has side mirrors, likely because regulators haven’t yet approved the planned camera system that will replace them in production models.

It’s also worth noting the amazing coincidence that the video was captured by an employee of UPS. The shipping company has already placed an order for 125 of the trucks, still apparently the largest single order on the books. This video — of a truck that’s not going to reach customers until 2019 — certainly makes that look like a solid bet.

About the Author
By David Z. Morris
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

PoliticsICE
Trump says he will order ICE to airports for security amid government shutdown and vows to arrest ‘all illegal immigrants’
By Collin Binkley and The Associated PressMarch 21, 2026
2 hours ago
HealthHealth
It’s not just vaccines. Parents are refusing other routine preventive care for newborns—even protection from severe bleeding and blindness
By Laura Ungar and The Associated PressMarch 21, 2026
2 hours ago
PoliticsFBI
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who led agency after 9/11 and investigated Russia-Trump campaign ties, dies at 81
By Eric Tucker and The Associated PressMarch 21, 2026
2 hours ago
AIAI agents
OpenAI cofounder says he hasn’t written a line of code in months and is in a ‘state of psychosis’ trying to figure out what’s possible
By Jason MaMarch 21, 2026
3 hours ago
EnergyAirline industry
United Airlines plans for oil hitting $175 a barrel and staying above $100 next year as industry faces worst shock since COVID
By Jason MaMarch 21, 2026
5 hours ago
Middle EastIran
Iran launches missiles at U.K.-U.S. base 2,500 miles away in the Indian Ocean, indicating Tehran has weapons with much longer range than once thought
By Samy Magdy, Sam Mednick and The Associated PressMarch 21, 2026
6 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.