3 Sep 2024, 11:56 UTC • By: Photo: Volvo, @HinrichsZane via X While Europe and North America are fundamentally different when it comes to rules and regulations, the two continents might land on the same page when planning electrified transportation. As Tesla plans to enter the European market with its Semi Class-8 truck, European truck makers are also speeding up their EV truck efforts. Until recently, it would've been inconceivable for an American heavy-duty truck to be sold in Europe. The size and weight of an American Class-8 truck are out of proportion for the narrow European roads. Regulations are also in place to limit the length of a semi-truck and trailer assembly. This led to a fundamental difference between them: while American semi-trucks have a long engine in front of the cabin, European equivalents adopted a cab-over design. The reason is that transportation companies want to maximize trailer volume for the limited length of the vehicle assembly permitted by regulations. Ideally, the trailer would come up to the truck's windshield, if that's even possible, without eliminating the driver completely. This is why most European trucks have a short cabin, with only the long-distance variants adopting a longer cabin that offers the driver more comfort for overnight rest. Many have thought this difference would prevent Tesla from selling the Semi in Europe. For the lack of real competition, European truck makers have lingered their electrification efforts. Although electric trucks have been tested or offered commercially for years, their lackluster performance has prevented them from becoming real competitors to diesel trucks. Range, especially, has been very limited, which is understandable, considering the brick-like shape of a cab-over semi-truck. However, the industry pushed for relaxing the length regulation for alternative fuel trucks, and rumors indicate that a decision might be made soon. This explains why Tesla is considering selling the Semi in Europe. The EV maker has already brought its famous electric truck to Germany, where it will be displayed at the IAA event in Hannover later this month. New information shows that Tesla will offer Semi demo drives to interested parties. According to the IAA program, the test drives can take place either on the 2 km (1.25 miles) test track within the exhibition grounds or on public roads. The latter would mean that the Semi trucks recently brought to Germany might have been homologated to allow such test drives. Tesla indicated that it might start Semi production in Germany, although no timeline has been provided. Tesla Semi offers up to 500 miles (800 km) of range, far surpassing all other European electric trucks. For comparison, the best electric trucks from Mercedes-Benz and Volvo can reach 500 km (310 miles). Volvo announced in 2022 that it started a pilot with Amazon using the electric version of its FH heavy-duty truck. At the time, the Volvo FH Electric was announced with 300 km (185 miles) of range. However, as the competition is heating up, Volvo announced a significant upgrade to its FH Electric trucks, pushing the range up to 600 km (372 miles). The new electric trucks will start deliveries in the second half of 2025, allowing transportation companies to operate them on interregional and long-distance routes. The 600-km range also means that the truck can drive a full working day without needing to recharge. Who would've thought competition is a good thing? If you liked the article, please follow us: