2017 has been a transformative year for Tesla. Production of the new affordable Model 3 sedan is currently underway, and soon the automaker will be expanding beyond its current range of electric sedans and SUVs with the launch of the first Tesla semi-truck. It seemed far-fetched at first, but CEO Elon Musk has confirmed on Twitter that the Tesla semi-truck will be shown for the first time in Hawthorne, California, at the SpaceX facility with a "tentative" reveal date slated for October 26.

This is later than we expected, as the CEO had previously penned its debut for September. Musk assures that the Tesla truck will be worth the wait, referring to it as a "beast" that is "unreal." Musk has also boldly claimed that the Tesla truck will produce more torque than any other truck on the road and has nimble handling "like a sports car." Don't think, however, that Tesla is targeting the long-haul truck market, since the electric truck's limited range obviously can't compete with conventional trucks that can travel long distances. Instead, Tesla's electric big-rig will be suited to short regional trips of 100 to 200 miles that make up 30 percent of all trucking jobs in America.

As such, reports have suggested that the Tesla semi will have a range of 200 – 300 miles on a single charge and autonomous abilities matching Tesla's road cars. Tesla's venture into the truck segment has already prompted competition. Recently, Cummins, a manufacturer of diesel and natural gas engines for commercial trucks, beat Tesla to the punch with the unveiling of its fully electric class 7 truck, the AEOS. Cummins may have the bragging rights of revealing the first electric truck before Tesla, but it only has a range of 100 miles which should give Tesla the advantage.