--- title: "Tesla Semis’ Range May Fall Drastically When Hauling Things Heavier Than Potato Chips" description: "Five years after showing off its Semi truck to the public, Tesla has finally started delivering trucks to its customers this month. But the company has been noticeably quiet about the vehicle as of late, and has yet to reveal the truck's actual range when fully loaded, its price, or when the rest of Tesla's […]" date: "2022-12-19" modified: "2022-12-20" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-semi-range-potato-chips" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "tesla" - "tesla semi" - "the digest" --- # Tesla Semis’ Range May Fall Drastically When Hauling Things Heavier Than Potato Chips ![PepsiCo, Tesla's first Semi truck customer, plans to roll out 100 Semis next year, but is only completing 100 mile trips with beverages on board.]() *\Image: Tesla/Futurism\* ## Range Over Five years after showing off its Semi truck to the public, Tesla finally [started delivering trucks]() to its customers this month. But the company has been noticeably quiet about the vehicle since, having yet to reveal the truck's weight capacity when fully loaded, its price, or when the rest of Tesla's customers will actually be able to start using them. And given the latest news, Tesla may have reasons to be avoiding those questions. After all, the stakes couldn't be higher — a successful rollout of a 500-mile electric semi truck could be a huge win for a company that [desperately needs one right now](). ## Frito Delivery PepsiCo, which is Tesla's first Semi buyer and plans to roll out 100 Semis next year, is already noticing that the truck's range takes a massive hit when loaded with heavy cargo, something Tesla's critics [have long suspected](). A Semi can carry a load of Frito-Lay chips for an impressive 425 miles with battery to spare, for instance. But potato chips in air-filled bags are one of the lightest loads imaginable; for heavier fare such as sodas, PepsiCo is limiting trips to 100 miles with the truck, [PepsiCo VP Mike O'Connell told *Reuters*](). The remarks were somewhat ambiguous, and O'Connell did elaborate that the company is planning to eventually haul beverages in the "400 to 500 mile range as well." "Dragging a trailer full of chips around is not the most intense, tough ask," Oliver Dixon, senior analyst at consultancy Guidehouse, told the news agency. "I still believe that Tesla has an awful lot to prove to the broader commercial vehicle marketplace." ## Questions To be clear, we still don't know how much weight a Semi can actually carry and what the resulting drop-off in range will actually be — something that Tesla has yet to publicly address. Tesla maintains its trucks have "can travel up to 500 miles on a single charge," according to [its website](), a vague statement that leaves us with plenty of questions. PepsiCo and other customers such as Gatorade have remained tightlipped about the details, likely a result of non disclosure agreements they signed with the EV maker. But PepsiCo's decision to only complete short trips with heavy loads could be a sign that Tesla may have oversold its 500-mile semi truck. When it comes to the laws of physics, after all, there's only so much the company can do to electrify the trucking industry. **READ MORE:** [PepsiCo is using 36 Tesla Semis in its fleet and is upgrading facilities for more in 2023, exec says]() \[*CNBC*\] **More on the Semi:** *[Tesla Semi Truck Drives 500 Miles Fully Loaded]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()