Tesla will bring Semi commercial truck to 'volume production', says Elon Musk

Battery production will start in the company's Nevada factory

The speed of change in the company's share price last week has taken legacy manufacturers by surprise (AFP via Getty)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that it is time to bring its Semi commercial truck to “volume production”.

The Semi truck was announced in 2017 and is designed to compete with conventional diesel trucks.

"Production of the battery and powertrain will take place at Giga Nevada,” Musk said in a leaked email.

He said most of the other work will probably take place in other states.

Musk did not specify a timeframe for the production, although the CEO is keen to begin work again.

Although Tesla has been operating at a reduced capacity during the coronavirus pandemic, the company is preparing to increase vehicle production.

In a previously leaked email, Musk said that Tesla batteries, energy storage products, and Model 3 parts would be produced at the Nevada Gigafactory.

Musk also wanted to open factories in California in spite of coronavirus rules. This sentiment was supported by Donald Trump, who said Musk was correct to want to restart production.

Under the current health order, “having a small team of people in there [who] are social distancing may not violate the [rules]", said a spokesperson from the Fremont Police Department.

However, according to a report from the Washington Post, Tesla employees in California have already reported several cases of the coronavirus.

The Independent has reached out to the company for comment.

Additional reporting from Reuters