Tesla’s all-electric Class 8 Semi continues to prove its viability in the real world, this time taking on the challenging logistics routes of the Lone Star State.
Mone Transport, a logistics firm specializing in cross-border freight operations between the U.S. and Mexico, recently concluded a massive real-world test of the Tesla Semi. The results from their trial run significantly outpaced Tesla’s own official efficiency estimates.
We're thrilled with the results!
The Texas Test Run
In a recent post, Mone Transport shared the impressive data from their pilot test of the Semi.
"Mone Transport recently had the opportunity to put the Tesla Semi to the test, and we're thrilled with the results!"
Over the course of the pilot program, the Semi covered more than 4,700 miles across Mone's Texas operations. Throughout those extensive freight runs, the truck recorded a staggering average energy consumption of just 1.64 kWh per mile.
What makes this even more impressive is that this test was done with the existing version of the Semi, not the redesigned Semi, which improves the truck in several ways.
Beating Benchmarks
What makes that 1.64 kWh/mile figure so impressive is that it actually beats Tesla's officially stated target of 1.7 kWh per mile for the Semi.
When compared to traditional internal combustion trucks, the efficiency gap becomes astronomical. A standard Class 8 diesel semi typically achieves around 6 to 7 miles per gallon, which equates to roughly 5.5 kWh per mile in energy-equivalent terms. This means the Tesla Semi was able to perform heavy-duty logistics operations while using three to four times less energy and producing zero tailpipe emissions.
To put that efficiency into dollar values, the day-to-day cost savings of the Semi are staggering. As of March 2026, the average all-in commercial electricity rate in Texas sits at just 9.12 cents per kWh.
At an efficiency of 1.64 kWh per mile, the Tesla Semi costs roughly 15 cents per mile to power. By comparison, a standard Class 8 diesel truck averages about 6.5 miles per gallon. Even using the relatively low Gulf Coast regional average diesel price of roughly $3.11 per gallon, a traditional semi costs nearly 48 cents per mile to fuel.
That means the Tesla Semi can cut energy overhead by nearly 70% for regional freight operators, dropping fueling costs from almost half a dollar per mile down to just 15 cents.
A Growing Validation Network
Mone Transport is just the latest in a growing list of commercial heavyweights to publicly validate the Semi's performance. Recent data from other pilot participants has painted a consistently positive picture of the truck's real-world capabilities.
ArcBest’s ABF Freight Division logged an incredible 1.55 kWh per mile over 4,494 miles, including a 7,200-foot climb over the Donner Pass.
PepsiCo is the largest Semi fleet operator, and has recorded an average of 1.7 kWh per mile during its pilot programs.
DHL and Saia recorded efficiencies of 1.72 kWh per mile and 1.73 kWh per mile respectively, during their own pilot programs.
As Tesla prepares to ramp up volume production of the Semi at its dedicated facility in Northern Nevada later this year, these pilot programs are providing the exact kind of hard data fleet managers need to justify the transition to sustainable transport.
