Tesla has pushed the launch date for its electric Semi-truck program to 2022 because of supply chain issues and limited availability of batteries, it said Monday in its second quarter earnings report.Tesla Semi CEO Elon Musk warned before about the potential impact of battery supply shortages on the Semi. The prototype was unveiled in November 2017 as a prototype. Musk stated that the Tesla Semi's engineering work was complete and deliveries would begin in 2017. Musk did mention that battery cell availability could affect the Semi's production.This warning was probably warranted. The shareholders letter was posted today, after the market had closed.We are confident that we will still be able to build the first Model Y vehicles in Berlin or Austin in 2021. The success of new manufacturing technologies and ongoing supply-chain challenges, as well as regional permitting, will influence the pace of each production ramp. We have moved the launch date of the Semi truck program from 2022 to better focus our efforts on these factories due to the lack of battery cells and global supply-chain challenges. We are also moving forward with the industrialization and production of Cybertruck. This is planned for Austin production after Model Y.Although not mentioned in the earnings call, the delay was due to Jerome Guillen's departure. Guillen was a key executive at Tesla and had been working on the development of the Tesla Semi. Guillen's resignation in June was just three months after he was promoted from president of automobile to a less responsible role as head of heavy-duty trucks. Guillen was the head of Tesla's entire automotive business, from September 2018 to March 2021.The Tesla Cybertruck, which was supposed to be in production in 2021, appears like it could be moved into next year. Although Musk did not answer any questions, comments made by Lars Moravy, Tesla's VP of engineering, and Musk during the earnings call suggested that the production could be moved to 2022.Cybertruck is currently in the alpha stage of prototyping. The basic engineering and architecture are complete. Moravy stated that while the Model Y is the priority, Cybertruck will enter the beta phase of prototyping later in the year.He said that Well be looking to increase Texas' production after Model Y is over.Musk seemed to be able to predict how difficult the Cybertruck would prove to be. Perhaps this was to temper expectations of its arrival in 2021.Musk stated that the ramp for Cybertruck will be challenging because of its new architecture. It's going to be great. It might be our greatest product ever. However, it has a lot fundamentally new design ideas.He continued to point out that the vehicle he used, as well as many other vehicles, has gone from prototype to production in volume: Manufacturing is difficult.It is possible to make prototypes and a few small-volume production runs. However, anything made at high volumes, which is what is important here, will move at the same speed as the slowest 10,000 parts or processes.
