The Tesla Semi truck is coming to the US market this year.  Fully loaded with a gross combined weight of 37 metric tons it will have a range of 800 km and able to be charged to 560 km in just 30 minutes.  The distance between Auckland and Wellington is 642 km

With running costs approximately 2.5 times cheaper and lower maintenance costs Tesla estimates savings of approximately NZ$315,000 in the first three years compared to a diesel-powered truck (diesel prices are considerably cheaper in the USA than New Zealand so greater savings could be achieved here)

The truck can accelerate 0-100 km an hour in 20 seconds and can travel up a 5° slope at highway speeds, getting it to its destination quicker.

Transport is our second-largest source of emissions accounting for 43% of total domestic CO2 emissions.  Heavy vehicles emit almost 1/4 of our transport emissions but makeup only 6% of vehicle kilometres travelled. 

The government has set a target of reducing emissions from freight transport by 25% by 2035

But the Ministry of Transport projects emissions from heavy trucks declining only slightly and not sufficiently to meet the 2035 target. 

But if New Zealand can obtain fully electric trucks from Tesla and other manufacturers in the next few years, emissions will reduce swiftly, emissions targets met much sooner, huge savings gained from not having to import diesel from overseas and fewer deaths and hospitalisations from air pollution.

The uptake of electric cars is already on an exponential upward curve and is happening much faster than government estimates.  Expect the same for heavy trucks.