Also: PepsiCo is working with startups to tap new sources of innovation. Here's how it does it The vehicles are also designed for efficiency, consuming less than two kWh of energy per mile. Tesla says it can travel 500 miles on a single charge. "People may wonder why build a semi truck," Musk said. Image: Tesla Tesla's mission, he said, is to "accelerate sustainable energy" by electrifying all major forms of transport. Musk noted that while there are millions of passenger vehicles sold in the US each year, there are only a couple hundred thousand semi trucks sold each year. However, given the number of hours they are driven and the weight they carry, those trucks account for about 20% of US vehicle emissions. "From a health standpoint... this is a huge impact," Musk said. "In addition climate change and global warming matters... it's going to fundamentally improve the health of people living near freeways." Innovation