AUSTIN, Texas — ArcBest, the multibillion-dollar logistics company, announced June 11 that it is purchasing two Tesla Semi Class 8 electric trucks for its ABF Freight fleet, converting a successful 2025 pilot program into a real fleet investment and adding another major carrier to the Semi's fast-growing order book.
The decision follows a three-week pilot in which a Tesla Semi logged 4,494 miles at an average of 1.55 kWh per mile — roughly 9% better than the figures DHL and Saia recorded in their own testing, and ahead of the 1.7 kWh per mile Elon Musk targeted when the production design was unveiled. The purchase lands during a banner stretch for Tesla's truck program, which recently saw an entire production batch sell nearly half its units in a single day.
From Pilot Test to Fleet Investment
During the 2025 evaluation, the Semi averaged 321 miles per day on routes between Reno, Nevada, and Sacramento, California, including regional Bay Area runs and rail shuttle operations. Drivers praised the truck's visibility, comfort, and performance — including reliable operation on the demanding 7,200-foot climb over Donner Pass.
The two new Semis will support linehaul operations within California, with planned extension into Reno and potentially other locations, significantly expanding lane coverage beyond the pilot's original corridor.
"Adding Tesla Semis to our lineup allows us to expand that across more lanes and operating conditions to evaluate whether heavy-duty electric vehicles meet the same standards for safety, reliability and performance across our existing fleet," said Matt Godfrey, president of ABF Freight, according to Electrek. ABF will benchmark the electric trucks against its diesel fleet using the same total-cost-of-ownership metrics that guide all of its equipment purchases — a sign the Semi is now being judged as standard fleet equipment rather than an experiment.
