After multiple delays and controversies, Tesla‘s Cybertruck has now been delivered to about twelve customers, four years after it was first unveiled.
Tesla Unveils Its Cybertruck
Its base model, which was first announced four years ago for $39,900, now costs $60,990, a rise of more than 50%.
In 2019, Elon Musk added that the truck’s range will around 500 miles.
The AWD Cybertruck achieves 340 miles without the additional battery pack option, extending its range to 470 miles.
The base variant achieves 250 miles.
Variants and Mileage
The Cybertruck will come in three variants, one of which is the base model with rear-wheel drive that mentioned previously but won’t available until 2025.
Presuming there aren’t any more delays—which is always a possibility—the dual-motor version should be released the following year.
It costs $79,990 and has a top speed of 112 miles per hour, a 4.1-second 0-60 time, and a 340-mile range on a single charge.
Optional pack that fits in about 1/3 of the truck bed. Still room for plenty of of cargo.
It’s meant for very long trips or towing heavy things up mountains.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 30, 2023
Features
The “Cyberbeast” tri-motor trim, which has 845 horsepower and 10,296 lb-ft of torque, also scheduled to launch in 2024.
It costs $99,990, can travel 320 miles at a top speed of 130 mph, and claims to take 2.6 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph.
It should note that the prices do not include federal tax credits, and companies known to inflate the range of their electric vehicles.
The Cybertruck’s towing capacity of 11,000 pounds for the two more expensive trims and 7,500 pounds for the base model has welcomed, despite the fact that the prices and range may have disappointed some.
Tesla Cybertruck is notably the first time that Tesla is straight up not delivering on some of the key specs they promised
Promised specs:
500+ mile range
$70,000Delivered:
340 mile range
$100,000Tesla (and others) have taken the stance that the thousands of pounds of extra…
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) November 30, 2023
Window Test
During the bulletproof Cybertruck unveiling, Franz Von Holzhausen, the chief designer at Tesla, attempted to make amends for the 2019 windows strength test that went viral.
He broke both the front and rear windows during the test when he threw a metal ball bearing at what was meant to be armor-plated glass.
He used a baseball this time, and his throw was not very strong.
Additionally, the Cybertruck is the first Tesla car with vehicle-to-load or bi-directional charging capabilities.
This indicates that the battery can provide up to 11.5kW of power through the 240-volt outlet located in the back bed to power or charge an electrical device, such as another Cybertruck.
Challenges Faced By Tesla
Like all automakers, Tesla encountered numerous challenges as a result of the pandemic.
As a result, the company failed to meet its initial 2021 preproduction target for the Cybertruck.
In the summer of 2023, Tesla had promised to deliver the first Cybertrucks to customers.
Later on, that was rescheduled for the third quarter, but both deadlines have passed.
The 250,000 Cybertrucks that Tesla hopes to produce annually are not expected to arrive until after 2024.
To read our blog on “Elon Musk claims Tesla might begin Cybertruck deliveries in the middle of 2023,” click here.
