The Tesla Cybertruck is almost ready, two years late
Tesla is finally set to deliver its first Cybertruck after years of setbacks, but it's still not smooth sailing
Two years after first deliveries were initially set to commence, the first examples of Tesla's divisive Cybertruck are finally set to hit the road. Promising ‘better utility than a truck, with more performance than a sports car’, its development has been far from trouble free, but a delivery event on November 30 will see the first customer cars hit the road, joining the Rivian R1T and Ford F-150 Lightning in the ever-expanding electric pickup truck market.
Company CEO Elon Musk previously suggested first deliveries would commence in 2021, with development setbacks and parts supply issues said to have caused the lengthy delay. Numerous running prototypes have been spotted out on the road in recent weeks, though, suggesting that November 30 might finally mark the end of its turbulent development.
> Tesla Model 3 facelift arrives in the UK with a new lower price
While first examples are ready to hit the road, we don't yet know just how much the Cybertruck will cost, with Tesla having provided no update on its pricing since its 2019 reveal. A highly ambitious starting price of $39,990 was quoted at its launch, but given its lengthy development programme and the claimed specs on offer, we wouldn't be surprised to see this change.
Following the announcement of the delivery event, Elon Musk took to an earnings call to 'temper expectations', stating that the Cybertruck would be 'incredibly difficult to bring to market to reach volume.' Musk went onto say that the marque is targeting an output of 250,000 units per year, but doesn't expect to hit such a figure until 2025.
If most pickups are a trio of boxes, Tesla’s is more like a concept house from an episode of Grand Designs. There’s not a curve in sight, and you get the impression Musk would have made the tyres polygonal if he could. If you've grown weary of the brand’s smooth but generic shapes so far then the Cybertruck is definitely a wake-up call.
Tesla claims enormous structural strength and longevity from the chassis; the body formed from stainless steel (best known in the automotive sphere from the DeLorean, but also a material Musk is using in SpaceX’s Starship rocket). Corrosion resistance is obviously a plus, but Tesla’s claim that it helps eliminate dents seems more dubious.
TrustpilotIt also remains to be seen how the truck fares aerodynamically or in crash testing, but contrary to its appearance in profile the Cybertruck does indeed conceal a proper load bed, with a 6.5 foot bed and 100 cubic feet of capacity (including the frunk), plus the ability to roll a shutter over the bed giving you lockable storage. Tesla is projecting a 3500lb payload capacity (around 1.6 metric tons), and 14,000lb towing capacity, or 6350kg in the highest-spec, three-motor model.
There are due to be different motor options available, with an entry-level rear-wheel-drive, single-motor variant, an all-wheel drive, two-motor model, and the range-topping tri-motor. Range is quoted as 250+, 300+ and 500+ miles respectively, and while no power outputs are quoted, the performance figures give a reasonable indication of the truck’s ability – the single-motor model is claimed to reach 60mph from rest in under 6.5sec, the dual motor under 4.5sec and the tri-motor sub-2.9sec.
While a truck that can accelerate that quickly seems like overkill, Tesla’s previous demonstrations with its all-electric Semi lorry show the main benefit of that much easily accessible power and torque is the ability to accelerate quicker when pulling heavy loads. Tesla says the low centre of gravity – a virtue of its skateboard-style battery placement – helps traction, another significant factor in towing.
Pricing is expected to come following the delivery event on November 30, but its projected price in the States is $39,900 for the base model and $69,900 for the tri-motor. UK buyers can put down a £100 deposit to secure their place in the queue, but if an all-electric pickup is what you’re after, it for the moment is as close as we’ll get in the UK.
