As the Tesla Cybertruck officially enters the automotive market, Boardroom breaks down everything you need to know about the new electric-powered vehicle and what to expect in the future.
Tesla is expected to deliver to customers the first batch of its much-anticipated and much-delayed Cybertruck this week.
It’s been four years since Tesla chief Elon Musk announced that his automotive company would foray into the pickup truck market with a concept version of what the Cybertruck could be. Preorders began in 2019, and production was originally set to start in 2021 before the pandemic hit. After delays, Tesla debuted its first model this past July and is set to launch a batch of deliveries following a showcase event on Thursday, Nov. 30 at its manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas.
As the Tesla Cybertruck officially enters the automotive market, Boardroom breaks down everything you need to know about the new electric-powered vehicle.
Sign up for Tech Talk, where Boardroom’s Michelai Graham breaks down the latest news from the world’s biggest tech companies and the future of industry-shaping trends like AI.
All About The Tesla Cybertruck
This is not your conventional pickup truck, and it doesn’t have an exposed cargo bed like most pickups. Instead, it has a fully enclosed futuristic trapezoid-like design with various pointed edges. The Tesla Cybertruck, which is the carmaker’s first new model in three years, is a steel-clad, electric vehicle with up to a reported 500 miles of battery range before needing a new charge. The Cybertruck is expected to be bullet-proof with windows made of shatter-proof glass.
It’s unclear how fast the vehicle will be able to go, but Tesla reports that it can reach up to 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds. It might not look like a pickup truck, but the Tesla Cybertruck will have a towing capacity of 14,000 pounds and a 3,500-pound payload capacity. The truck seats six passengers and includes a 17-inch navigation touchscreen on the dashboard for the vehicle’s pilot.
The truck is made of stainless steel, which has created challenges across production volume for Tesla. The vehicle’s rigid design was created to hold up against dents, external damages, and usual wear-and-tear.
Despite setbacks and a myriad of other challenges, Tesla’s Cybertruck is in high demand among loyal Tesla customers. Musk tweeted that Cybertrucks were headed to Tesla Stores in North America on Nov. 22.
Usually, customers know what they’re paying before their vehicle hits the road, but that’s not the case here. Tesla hasn’t shared the Cybertruck’s price publicly, though many reports say it will cost in the $39,900 to $50,000 range. Whatever the price ends up being, the Tesla Cybertruck is expected to cost $10,000 more than initially planned. Inflation and production volume challenges will impact the Cybertruck’s price the most.
What’s Next?
During a Tesla earnings call in mid-October, Musk said that the company won’t reach full production capacity on the Cybertruck until 2025. Originally, Tesla said it would develop three versions — a single motor, dual motor, and tri-motor — but those plans appear to have changed since only the single motor model is shipping with this first launch.
Tesla will likely only ship between 2,000 and 3,000 Cybertrucks this year, with plans to reach 10,000 units in the first half of 2024. This is far off from the 1 million preorders Musk said Tesla already received for its Cybertruck. Still, Tesla plans to produce 250,000 Cybertrucks a year once it reaches full production mode.
Boardroom will continue to follow Tesla’s Cybertruck production and track down some early reviews of the vehicle.
Read More:
