Jay Leno Has A Lot To Say About Tesla's Newest EV

Jay Leno, the famed late-night host and renowned car fanatic, has returned after two years to take another look at the Tesla Semi. The latest episode of his YouTube show, Jay Leno's Garage follows up with the two behind the Tesla truck — Director of Styling, Franz von Holzhausen, and Semi Program Director, Dan Priestley — to find out more. Leno is looking at the updated model this time, which Tesla have tinkered with, including the cab and weight.

The Tesla Semi was announced in 2017, with production supposed to commence in 2019. It wasn't until 2022 that the Semi hit the factory floor. It's exceptionally more expensive than a typical semi-truck, coming in at around $300,000, but is still expected to be cheaper than competing machines in the electric vehicle market. However, it's not yet rolled out, with it only in testing at companies like Walmart and deliveries scheduled for this year. Leno, unsurprisingly, has quite a bit to say about the updated Semi, which he puts through its paces while prodding the two Tesla staffers about it.

Leno kicks things off by pointing out that Tesla is trying to come through and "change the culture" of trucking. The TV host points out that almost every company that's produced a truck has stuck to what truckers like, which he points out vehicles like the now discontinued Ford F-150 Lightning kept "manly things," like the style of previous vehicles. Part of that is the actual design of the truck. The slender cab with the driver dead center allows Tesla to make it even thinner towards the top, potentially saving power due to a lack of resistance.

Once Leno finally hops into the front cab, Priestley lets him know that he's one of the first to sit in the updated Semi. However, despite Tesla's current reputation, Leno keeps an open mind about it being an alternative to gas-powered trucks. He even states that he's a fan of the Semi's design. 

"Well, I'm a big fan of it," Leno said. "You know, anything that gives you alternatives to what you have is good." He connects it to the ongoing war in Iran, which will begin to impact oil and diesel prices in the coming weeks, with shipping expected to see a price hike too.

Even with a new vehicle under his feet, Leno is still intrigued about the future of his beloved motors. With Priestley sat behind him, Leno inquires as to whether or not Tesla has investigated fusion energy. Even though it's been a technology that countries have striven for since the 1940s, as of 2026, there's only one working example. The Tesla Director chimes in by claiming that the company is actually looking into how to harness the sun before they begin sticking nuclear reactors in cars.

So how does Leno find it? He describes it as "easy enough to drive," which the pair agrees drives like a very big car. Priestley mentions, "It's a big car, very easy. It's a great experience." 

During a particular bumpy section of the interview, Leno asks if the Semi will come with adjustable suspension, which Priestley confirms and elaborates that having adjustable heights is crucial to hooking the truck to its cargo. He also confirms that Tesla has its own production line set up next to the famous Gigafactory in Nevada, so the sedans and other vehicles won't impede production.