New Tesla Semi Production Prototype Spotted In California

We know the original Tesla Semis that was revealed years ago are still spotted out driving from time to time. However, The Kilowatts just happened upon a new Tesla Semi with white paint and obvious updates. It appears to be a production prototype out testing ahead of the vehicle's upcoming launch.

As you can see from the images below, the all-electric semi-truck has a new window design, tinted headlights, and redesigned taillights, among other, less obvious, updates. The original Semi prototype's Model 3 door handles have also disappeared. The Kilowatts spotted the Tesla Semi in Sacramento, California, while it was being transported on a flatbed. Teslarati reported:

We've shared an image of both of the original prototypes at the top of the page for comparison.

"The components directly behind the cabin of the Class 8 all-electric truck have also been updated, with the new Semi sporting what seems to be a more streamlined equipment setup."

According to The Kilowatts, the Tesla Semi appeared to be traveling in the direction of Tesla's Gigfactory in Sparks, Nevada, near Reno. However, that's clearly speculation. What's more important is that we've only seen two Tesla Semi prototypes since 2017. Now, following the company's 2020 earnings conference call, there's already a new prototype out in the wild.

Toward the end of last year, reports surfaced that Tesla was building four new Semis at its Nevada Gigafactory. The reports suggested that the Semis would be using 2170 cells, though they were said to be high-density '2170 L' batteries. Teslarati says two of those semi-trucks will be used for road testing, one for durability testing, and another for cold-weather testing.