FutureAzA: "Tesla Semi Just Earned Serious Industry Recognition". Facts on this page cite the primary sources below, not the video.

The claim: Tesla Semi just landed in Chicago in force.

The proof: On Wednesday, Nov. 11, at noon ET, Tesla's official Semi account posted: "Hello Windy City. Chicago's first 50 Semis en route for delivery." The photo shows four silver Semis at sunset. Tesla didn't name the buyer. The only known 50-truck order in Chicago belongs to HMD Trucking, which told Drive Tesla it took its first Semi on Nov. 2, the first Tesla Semi registered in Illinois. A day before the post, Tesla announced 6 Megacharger stalls in Hodgkins, Illinois, southwest of the city. "En route" means the trucks are on their way. It doesn't mean all 50 are working yet.

Editorial Thesis

Tesla almost never gives Semi delivery numbers. Its quarterly reports count passenger cars, not trucks. So "50 Semis en route" is one of the few hard figures outsiders get. It's a good sign the Nevada ramp is shipping trucks to real fleets outside California. It is not a production rate, and it doesn't tell us how close Tesla is to the factory capacity it advertises.

Honest Verdict

  • Confirmed (Tesla Semi account, Nov. 11): "Chicago's first 50 Semis en route for delivery."
  • Confirmed (Tesla Charging, via TeslaNorth, Nov. 10): a six-stall Semi Megacharger in Hodgkins, Illinois.
  • Confirmed (HMD statement to Drive Tesla): HMD's first Semi arrived Nov. 2, the first Tesla Semi registered in Illinois, after a summer test of more than 4,000 miles at 1.74 kWh per mile.
  • Likely, not confirmed: that the 50 trucks are HMD's. Electrek says HMD has the only 50-truck Chicago order. Tesla didn't say.
  • Not published: the price, the delivery schedule, or how many Semis Tesla has built in total.

Who is HMD Trucking?

HMD is a family-owned Chicago carrier founded in 1998. Owner Henry Malukas told MotorTrend in September that HMD runs nearly 700 diesel big rigs across Illinois and Indiana and is buying 50 Tesla Semis. He wouldn't share the price. MotorTrend heard rumors of about $300,000 a truck and called it a potential $15 million investment. That figure is a reporter's estimate, not a disclosed contract.

HMD says the first trucks will mostly run local routes around Chicago, and it's installing its own chargers. COO Michael Mahler said Tesla "has been transparent with us regarding the capabilities of Semi every step of the way."

The 1.74 kWh number

During its summer test, HMD says its Semi averaged 1.74 kWh per mile over more than 4,000 miles. Tesla's own claim is about 1.7. That's one fleet's real-world number, and it's close to the spec. The open question is winter. Chicago gets far colder than California, and cold weather usually cuts battery range. Malukas told MotorTrend that his diesel yards still light fires to help start trucks at 10 or 20 below. We'll learn this winter how the Semi handles that.

Why the Hodgkins chargers matter

Until recently, Tesla's Megacharger network sat mostly along West Coast and southern routes. Tesla says its Megachargers deliver up to 1.2 megawatts, but actual speed depends on battery temperature and charge level. Six stalls near Chicago gives Midwest fleets a public option beyond their own depots. Tesla didn't give pricing or hours for the site.

What this does not prove

  • It does not prove all 50 trucks have been delivered. Tesla said "en route."
  • It does not prove how many Semis Tesla builds a week. One batch isn't a production rate.
  • It does not prove HMD paid $15 million. The price wasn't disclosed.
  • It is not the IMC Logistics story we covered on Nov. 5. That was a different customer in California.

What to watch next

  1. HMD or Tesla confirming the 50 trucks are delivered and working.
  2. Winter range and charging reports from Chicago fleets.
  3. Tesla's Laredo, Texas, Semi Service Center, which TeslaNorth says has an opening event set for Nov. 12.
  4. Any Semi delivery count in Tesla's Q4 update in January.

Bottom Line

Tesla said on Nov. 11 that Chicago's first 50 Semis are en route, a day after adding six Megacharger stalls in Hodgkins. The buyer is most likely HMD Trucking, which got its first Semi on Nov. 2 and logged 1.74 kWh per mile in testing. It's a rare, real delivery number. It still isn't a production rate.

Source notes

Tesla Semi post read on X Nov. 12 at about 5 AM ET (time converted from UTC; view count approximate). HMD's first-truck date, Illinois registration and test numbers come from HMD's statement to Drive Tesla (Nov. 10). Order size, fleet size and the price estimate are from MotorTrend's Sept. 29 interview. Hodgkins Megacharger from TeslaNorth's Nov. 10 report on Tesla Charging's announcement. The HMD link to the 50 trucks is Electrek's reporting; Tesla didn't name the customer. Video: FutureAzA's Nov. 11 Semi roundup (creator channel), recorded before Tesla's post.

Sources