The Biggest News In All-Electric HGVs From Tesla Is About To Be Revealed

American energy experts and automotive manufacturers, Tesla, have announced some exciting news for the HGV industry. The electronics giant says it will unveil its very first all-electric HGV in just a few months, a move that could see the haulage industry begin to overcome fears that it’s responsible for much of the pollution on the world’s roads.

Chief Executive, Elon Musk, said the company would showcase the electric articulated lorry this September, marking a foray into new territory for Tesla, which usually only produces cars.  In a further 18 months to two years, this new vehicle will be followed by an electric pick-up truck. If demand for Tesla’s current car output is anything to go by, these new electric vehicles will be flying off the production line. Tesla’s Model 3 car has generated almost half a million pre-orders, which will take the company over a year to make once they start building them shortly.

This confidence is bolstered by Tesla’s soaring stock price, suggesting a real appetite and future for working electric vehicles. Tesla’s announcement is the latest in a long line of updates for the haulage industry, which is the subject of many new developments that could change the way HGVs look and operate in the future.

From replacing mirrors with cameras to giving drivers apps that help them on the job, HGV driving is becoming more efficient, quieter and smarter with every new invention.  The prevalence of mega trucks in Europe, although not yet in the UK, also heralds a change of image for HGVs, and has sparked debate about whether they save or cause harm to the environment. If Tesla’s work continues, who knows what the future of HGVs will turn out to be, but one thing seems to be quite certain – drivers will always be needed.

As we reported from last year’s Annual Microlise Transport Conference, the industry is nowhere near ready for autonomous vehicles, and many experts believe there’s a chance it never will be. This is both good and bad for our industry. At the moment there’s a huge HGV driver shortage, so autonomous vehicles would be a handy solution. But the fact of the matter is that new drivers are very much needed, and there’ll be lots of jobs for people coming into the haulage industry for a long time to come, no matter how high tech the HGVs become.