Tesla announces truck prices lower than experts predicted

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Tesla's recent truck announcement set off a round of speculation regarding its price. Steve Levine, an Axios journalist who wrote a whole book about battery technologies, wrote a few days ago that "experts estimate that the Semi could be $300,000." MIT Technology Review speculated that the Semi would cost even more: $400,000.

So a lot of people were surprised on Thursday when Tesla posted estimated prices for its Semi product. According to the company, a low-end truck with a 300 mile range will cost around $150,000, while you'll be able to get a range of 500 miles for $180,000. A premium "Founders Series" truck will cost $200,000.

That's more than the $120,000 cost of a typical conventional truck. But Tesla says that its truck will deliver $200,000 in fuel and maintenance cost savings over the life of the vehicle. If that's true, paying an extra $30,000 to $60,000 for the truck would be a bargain.

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