Tesla has been selected as the lead supplier for a major order of 2,500 battery-electric Class 8 trucks, a project organizers describe as the largest electric truck order in the United States to date. The order is being coordinated through the ZET SCALE alliance, which aims to accelerate adoption of zero-emission trucks by combining freight demand from multiple shippers. ZET SCALE stands for Zero-Emission Truck Shipper-Carrier Alliance Leading Electrification. The initiative is operated by Catalyst Mobility, formerly known as CALSTART, and Smart Freight Centre. Founding shippers include Microsoft and PepsiCo, while the alliance has set a broader goal of supporting 10,000 or more zero-emission trucks. The program combined freight demand from participating companies before issuing an independent request for proposals to truck manufacturers. Bids were evaluated based on price, range, charging capability, and production capacity. Tesla was selected as the primary supplier, although Catalyst Mobility has not disclosed exactly how many of the 2,500 vehicles will be Tesla Semis. Kenworth, RIDE, and Volvo were selected as secondary manufacturers. Their trucks will remain available for carriers whose routes or operational needs require different vehicle configurations. The order represents a significant expansion compared with current electric truck sales. Only 875 zero-emission heavy-duty trucks were sold in the U.S. during 2025, accounting for approximately 0.3% of the market. Organizers say the new order alone could nearly double the number of electric Class 8 trucks operating nationwide. Financing will be handled by ZET Financial, which will purchase the trucks and offer them to fleets through a fair-market-value leasing program called ZET Lease. The model is designed to reduce one of the biggest financial concerns surrounding electric trucks: uncertainty over future resale values. ZET Financial will also evaluate each fleet’s operating cycle, financing costs, electricity expenses, diesel costs, and maintenance requirements before deployment. The first phase will focus on 10 major freight hubs, including Los Angeles, Stockton, and Bakersfield in California; Seattle-Tacoma; Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio; Chicago; Atlanta; and the Newark-New York City region. The alliance plans to add more carriers, shippers, and regions over time. Charging infrastructure remains a key challenge. No charging provider has yet been announced for the initial hubs, although ZET Financial plans to provide infrastructure and charging guidance to participating fleets. Industry participants also stressed that truck availability alone will not guarantee successful deployments. Fleets will need dependable charging, carefully planned routes, trained technicians and drivers, and operating… [TheTopNews] Read More.
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