Amid revived drama with Twitter that’s inflicting whiplash throughout the web, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is doing one of many issues he’s greatest at: distracting the general public with a shiny new assertion.

On Thursday night, Musk tweeted that Tesla would lastly ship its long-promised semi vehicles, an all-electric car the corporate says is able to touring 500 miles (805 kilometers) on a single cost, and deliberate to make its first deliveries to PepsiCo on Dec. 1—or about three years after Tesla advised PepsiCo it might get the vehicles. In a press release to Gizmodo, PepsiCo confirmed it was anticipating the vehicles on that date at two crops in California. 

Considering Musk’s notorious behavior of lacking deadlines—in addition to how preoccupied he’s been with shopping for Twitter, dissing it, pulling out of the deal, after which saying he’ll purchase it in any case—the truth that the Semi is delayed is not any shock.

“Excited to announce start of production of Tesla Semi Truck with deliveries to @Pepsi on Dec 1st!” Musk wrote on Twitter, adding: “500 mile range & super fun to drive.”

Tesla introduced its Semi vehicles again in 2017 and shortly received reservations from big-name firms, together with Walmart, DHL, Anheuser Busch, and PepsiCo, all of which needed to fork over a deposit of between $5,000 and $20,000 per car. In phrases of the complete worth, the corporate has mentioned that the bottom mannequin with a 300-mile vary (483 kilometers) will value an estimated $150,000, whereas the mannequin with the 500-mile vary (805 kilometers) will value roughly $180,000.

Based on Musk’s tweets on Thursday and from again in August, it seems that Tesla started to supply the 500-mile vary fashions this yr. It’s not clear when the 300-mile vary fashions will begin delivery, although Musk promised December first in his tweet.

PepsiCo reserved 100 Semi vehicles in 2017 in an effort to scale back gasoline prices and emissions, in response to Reuters.

“If you order the truck now,” Musk mentioned on the Semi’s reveal in 2017, “you’ll get it in two years.”

Companies that took Musk at his phrase due to this fact anticipated to obtain their modern and glossy Semi vehicles in 2019. That didn’t occur. Instead, Tesla put its vitality into churning out the Model 3 and Model Y. During this time, it additionally confronted provide points with battery cells and semiconductors, Bloomberg reported.

Should we take Musk at his phrase? At this level, it’s like flipping a coin. He might be attempting to divert consideration from his beef with Twitter, and even be attempting to reassure Tesla shareholders that every one is nicely, provided that Tesla’s inventory is down, and that’s what he’s planning to make use of to pay for Twitter. Musk made his proclamation about two hours after he tweeted “plot twist!” in response to information stating Twitter was refusing his renewed bid for the corporate. Tesla shareholders have been increasingly nervous over the billionaire’s drama with Twitter in current months and worry proudly owning Twitter will distract him from Tesla throughout an necessary time.

PepsiCo actually appears to imagine him, in response to a press release the corporate supplied to Gizmodo on Friday morning.

“We can confirm PepsiCo will receive the first electric Tesla Semis December 1, 2022, supporting our Frito-Lay plant in Modesto, California, and our PepsiCo beverages plant in Sacramento,” the corporate mentioned in an e-mail. “We are looking forward to this next step in our PepsiCo Positive journey and will provide more details once we have taken delivery.”

For reference, the “PepsiCo Positive journey” refers back to the firm’s plan to transform its operations for the great of the planet. This includes a objective to realize net-zero emissions throughout its provide chain by 2040.

While PepsiCo’s assertion does add credibility to Musk’s announcement, at this level, I feel we all know him nicely sufficient to say that we’ll imagine it after we see the Semis at PepsiCo.