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Tesla to debut battery semi-truck

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<i> Image: AFP / Justin Sullivan </i>
<i> Image: AFP / Justin Sullivan </i>
Justin Sullivan

Washington - Tesla plans to unveil a heavy transport truck in October, in a further broadening of the product lineup for the electric vehicle maker.

Chief executive Elon Musk made the announcement in a tweet late Wednesday (September 14), indicating the new truck would be shown at its California design center in Hawthorne, California.

"Tesla Semi truck unveil & test ride tentatively scheduled for Oct 26th in Hawthorne," Musk wrote. "Worth seeing this beast in person. It's unreal."

A semi-truck is a combination of a tractor unit and one or more semi-trailers to carry freight. 

No further details of the truck were available, but Musk said last year the company planned a new pickup truck and was considering options for heavy-duty trucks and buses.

Musk is pressing the industry for more electric vehicles, reducing use of fossil fuels, along with autonomous driving technology.

Tesla currently produces three electric car models, including the recently introduced Model 3, which is about half the price of its luxury cars and has a long waiting list.

Not long after Tesla was founded in 2003, Musk said the plan was to use money from high-end electric vehicles to create more affordable offerings to make the technology the new automotive norm.

Tesla to show second car alongside truck

According to Drive, Musk's reply to a person on Twitter suggested that a "light duty," mini version of the Tesla semi could be teased at the same event.

What if we just made a mini version of the Tesla Semi?

Cars powered by green energy are consistent with a concern for the environment seen in Musk's other enterprises.

Musk runs solar energy firm SolarCity, and is building rechargeable batteries to power homes as well as cars.

In May 2016, Musk confirmed that the electric carmaker would introduce its most affordable car to South Africa.  

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