Leaked: Tesla's pure-electric truck

A new image of Tesla's all-new pure-electric truck has appeared online.

Claimed to be genuine by Tesla fan blog, Teslarati, the single image of a prime-mover is alleged to have been snapped at an industry proving ground in California, just 240km north of the US car maker's design HQ.

Some commentators have doubts about the image's authenticity, but if it is real, the big rig confirms Tesla is working on a futuristic, streamlined truck which actually surpasses any of its current passenger cars on the 'radical' scale.

The unique 'cab-forward' stance of Tesla's first truck is possible due to the powerful electric motors being mounted on the front- and rear-twin axles.

While Tesla's first truck is set for an official reveal on October 26, the prime-mover in this pic doesn't appear to have door handles or mirrors.

This suggests we're looking at either a concept for a pure-electric truck or one with remote door opening and a 360-degree camera view.

Tesla's first truck will have competition in the market from start-up commercial vehicle maker, Nikola Motors.

Nikola's first truck, the One,offers an impressive range of 1931km thanks to its powerful Tesla-sourced 320kWh battery pack.

Its six electric motors, meanwhile, produce monumental power and torque, with the One producing 1470kW/5016Nm.

Priced at $400,000-$550,000, the One isn't cheap, although, thanks to Nikola's free recharging for the first million miles, its low running costs mean it will pay for itself after 1.6 million kilometres.