Tesla Lands 2,500 Semi Order as U.S. Diesel Hits Record $6.53 a Gallon
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 25
Tesla Lands 2,500 Semi Order as U.S. Diesel Hits Record $6.53 a Gallon
1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 25
Summary
A coalition that plans to lease battery-electric trucks placed an order for up to 2,500 Tesla Semis this week, giving Tesla a fresh commercial win as diesel costs surge.
AAA put the U.S. average diesel price at a record $6.53 a gallon, up about 75% from a year earlier, making alternatives such as electric and renewable natural gas trucks more attractive to fleets.
High diesel is also shifting freight toward rail, with U.S. intermodal traffic setting an August record as Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern said expensive fuel is pulling cargo off the road.
Truckers say the spike is squeezing margins because fuel surcharges lag fast price moves, helping drive online calls for an Oct. 1 strike even as major industry groups said they were not involved.
The price shock is rippling through policy and the wider economy: Trump has floated a diesel export ban, some lawmakers want fuel-tax relief, and even beneficiaries warn prolonged costs will raise consumer prices.
Could the painful spike in diesel prices actually be the hidden catalyst that permanently transforms the future of green transportation?
While railroads and electric truck makers profit from record fuel costs, will the resulting supply chain inflation ultimately trigger an economic recession?
How quickly will the crippling fuel expenses faced by trucking companies and farmers silently trickle down to your weekly grocery bill?