The Tesla Semi is slated to begin deliveries on December 1, Elon Musk announced earlier this month, with PepsiCo to become the first fleet customer to receive the electric truck.
Since his tweet announcing the start of production and deliveries, Musk offered more updates on the Tesla Semi last week during the Q3 2022 earnings call. The most notable were the production target of 50,000 units annually by 2024 and the 500-mile (800-kilometer) range when loaded with cargo.
Now, there's more good news for the EV maker, this time from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has given the Tesla Semi green light to begin deliveries. More specifically, the agency has assessed the Class 8 electric truck and granted it a Certificate of Conformity, which allows it to start sales.
This is a big deal because it marks the first time the Tesla Semi has received the EPA's Certificate of Conformity, despite the EV maker announcing imminent Semi deliveries in 2020 and 2021. Most importantly, it means that the Tesla Semi is finally good to go.
Gallery: Tesla Semi new photos
The EPA told Teslarati that the 2023 Tesla Semi has officially been granted a Certificate of Conformity on September 29, and that the Certificate is valid until December 31, 2023. The announcement comes shortly after the EPA has granted Certificates of Conformity for various 2023 model year Model S, Model X and Model 3 trim levels.
A Certificate of Conformity is issued by the EPA when a vehicle is confirmed to adhere to the agency's emissions and fuel economy requirements. According to the EPA, "every class of heavy-duty engines/vehicles and non-road engines introduced into commerce in the US must have a Certificate of Conformity, and they are valid for only one model year of production."
Tesla did not previously apply for the Semi to be approved for a Certificate of Conformity based on the EPA's list of approved heavy-duty vehicles. The list is updated quarterly, and the Semi has never appeared on it. The EPA confirmed to Teslarati that the Semi would be added to the list of conforming heavy-duty vehicles in January 2023.
This is a clear sign that Tesla can officially use the Semi on public roads and deliver it to clients. PepsiCo will become the first customer to get the Tesla Semi at its facilities in Modesto and Sacramento, California.
