These guys were tired of waiting for the Tesla Semi to be released so started their own electric truck company
Published on Jun 23, 2025 at 8:57 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jun 23, 2025 at 5:17 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A couple of pals who were keen to get their hands on a Tesla Semi truck grew tired of waiting and decided to build their own electric truck company, Edison Motors.
The duo behind the company placed one of the first Tesla Semi reservations in Canada.
However, with delay after delay, they canceled their order and started to create their own EV truck.
Fast-forward a few years, and Edison Motors is working on several production models. Here’s how they got started.
DISCOVER SBX CARS – The global premium auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
Edison Motors reserved a Tesla Semi in 2017 but later canceled it
The story starts back in 2016, when University pals Eric Little and Chase Barber set up a solar energy innovation company, called SEI Logistics.
The following year, Tesla announced its Semi truck, and SEI Logistics became one of the first companies to make a reservation in Canada.
Earlier this year, Tesla shared a timeline for the Semi, saying it would go into production later in 2025.
But in 2021, after the truck was hit with a first round of delays, the pair decided to cancel their order and build their own
They officially registered Edison Motors the same year and began working on their first truck in Barber’s parents’ backyard.
“We got tired of waiting for the Tesla Semi to come about so we said, ‘Screw it, we’ll make our own truck and I’ll start my own electric truck company and I’ll call it Edison Motors ’cause I’m stealing Tesla’s ideas’,” Barber said in an interview with Fully Charged Show last year.
The company’s first completed prototype was Carl: a1962 Kenworth LW 924 that was converted to a diesel-electric using a 3306 Caterpillar.
This was followed by Topsy, a working prototype that was a custom-built electric logging truck that could carry more than 71 tons (65,000kg) and had a top speed of 80mph (130km/h).
Edison Motors also has a handful of pickup truck conversion kits in development, for manufacturers including Ford, Toyota, and Dodge.
The company came to the attention of Tesla Motors
While the company is going strong, it has, somewhat unsurprisingly, come to the attention of Tesla.
In a post on the Edison Motors TikTok page, Barber revealed that he had a letter from the EV maker asking his company to stop using the rather cheeky strapline ‘Stealing Tesla’s ideas’.
@_edison.motors Tesla told us to stop #edisonmotors ♬ original sound – Edison Motors
In the clip, Barber said he ‘wasn’t going to war’ with the US-based marque over it and was more than happy to ditch the tongue-in-cheek branding.
Meanwhile, the company is looking to the future and has already received a number of orders for its trucks.
The guys say they’re currently working on getting those built and delivered to customers.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
