Watch Tesla Semi prototypes drive with cargo for the first time

As we reported yesterday, Tesla Semi prototypes were spotted at a Supercharger station near Sacramento on their way down from Gigafactory 1 in Nevada for their first cargo trip test.

It gave the opportunity for people to catch up with the prototypes and give us our best look at the electric trucks towing trailers.

Tesla Semi prototypes were filmed driving around in the wild before but never with cargo since the original test mule sighting months ago.

The vehicles were undoubtedly impressive in terms of torque and acceleration without cargo, but that’s hardly surprising considering the advantages of electric motors in terms of performance.

But now that Tesla started cargo test runs between Gigafactory 1 and Fremont, we are going to have plenty more opportunities to see how the electric vehicles perform while towing large loads.

After the vehicles were spotted at the Rocklin Supercharger station yesterday, someone followed them on the highway:

We can see the trucks accelerating very quickly on the ramp to get on the highway at around 1:45.

Here we can also see the Tesla Semi prototypes leaving the station:

Without a load, the Tesla Semi trucks had their tires spinning when accelerating, but it doesn’t seem to be the case with a load.

As previously reported, those trucks are allegedly carrying battery packs made at Gigafactory 1 in Nevada, where Tesla produces stationary energy storage battery packs, like Powerpacks and Powerwalls, and Model 3 battery packs.

After leaving Sacramento, the trucks were supposedly on their way to the Fremont factory (about 130 miles away) where Tesla builds the Model 3.

It’s still not a demonstration of the promised 500-mile range on a single charge, but it’s still quite an impressive range for an all-electric class 8 truck with a load.

For example, Mercedes-Benz unveiled last month its latest all-electric truck, the eActros, which it claims can travel 125 miles on a single charge.

Tesla is expected to continue its Tesla Semi test program over the rest of the year ahead of the planned start of production in 2019.