Tesla is taking major steps to expand its commercial vehicle program outside North America. Following early sales listings in Germany, commercial operations are now officially expanding into France.
As reported by EVwire, Tesla has appointed a dedicated Business Development Manager to oversee the commercial launch of the Tesla Semi in the French market. Jean-William Dubal, an internal hire who previously managed corporate account relationships in France, confirmed his new position on LinkedIn, writing:
“After several years of supporting companies in the greening of their car fleet, I am delighted to continue the adventure by announcing my new role at Tesla as Business Development Manager SEMI for the launch of the Tesla Semi in France.”
Scaling Up the Refreshed Class 8 Platform
This hiring push follows last fall’s unveiling of the updated Tesla Semi, a refined Class 8 truck design built specifically for high-volume commercial production at Tesla’s dedicated facility near Gigafactory Nevada.
The refreshed Semi comes in two battery configurations: a Standard Range variant offering 325 miles of range and a Long Range model capable of traveling 500 miles fully loaded at an 82,000-lb gross combination weight. Power comes from a three-motor setup mounted on the rear axle (check out our full breakdown of the Tesla Semi’s specs to learn more).
Inside, the cabin features a center-driving workspace flanked by two 16-inch touchscreens, integrated wireless phone chargers, easy-to-reach cup holders, and redesigned side windows built for practical fleet tolling and driver communication.
Safety hardware is also built in from the start. 10 external cameras and an internal cabin camera feed active driver-assist safety features like automatic emergency braking. Over time, these cameras will power full driverless capabilities as Tesla brings its Full Self-Driving software to the Semi, easing driver fatigue across long freight corridors.
Expanding Capacity for European Deliveries
Ramping up European commercial staff signals that manufacturing scale in Nevada is reaching a point where international orders can be fulfilled alongside North American fleet contracts, which Tesla has already racked up plenty of.
While early fleet buyers like PepsiCo and Frito-Lay have accumulated real-world haul miles in the U.S. for years, official deliveries for new orders begin hitting roads this year. Minor regional adaptations will make the Semi street-legal across Europe, setting up initial deliveries to land on European roads starting around 2027.
Building out localized sales teams in key freight hubs like Munich and France confirms that Tesla is ready to scale its commercial electric trucking segment globally.
