Tesla aims to start volume production of its Cybertruck electric pickup around the end of 2023, according to a new report.
Reuters quotes “two people with knowledge of the plans” who say Tesla factories will start churning out Cybertrucks “at the end of 2023, two years after the initial target for the long-awaited pickup truck.”
One-of-a-Kind Edgy Look
The Cybertruck is one of the most unique-looking vehicles any automaker has ever proposed. CEO Elon Musk cited the science fiction classic “Blade Runner” and James Bond’s submersible Lotus from “The Spy Who Loved Me” as inspirations for the design – not exactly what Ford designers are working with when they draw up another F-150.
Its blocky, Minecraft-vehicle design and hard edges are unique, but it’s meant to serve many of the same roles as a conventional pickup truck. Musk has promised up to 500 miles of range and 14,000 pounds of towing capacity.
At least three versions are planned, with one, two, or three electric motors. The top-end tri-motor, Tesla says, will be capable of a 0-60 mph sprint in 2.9 seconds.
Repeated Delays, Competition Lapping It
Tesla accepted more than 3 million orders for the unusual truck. Claiming an order, however, requires just a $99 refundable deposit. So it’s likely that many of those reservations will not become sales.
When Tesla announced the Cybertruck in 2019, there were no electric trucks on the market and no established automakers with announced plans to build them.
Since Musk first stood on stage and revealed his funky vision, however, startups and major automakers have beaten Tesla to market.
California-based Rivian delivered its first R1T trucks to customers more than a year ago. Ford built an all-electric version of history’s best-selling truck, the F-150 Lightning. It delivered the first Lightning trucks earlier this year. GMC has delivered hundreds of copies of its off-road-oriented Hummer EV pickup and is preparing to scale up production to build the trucks faster.
What do all those trucks have in common? Designers started working on them after Tesla announced the Cybertruck and brought them to market long before the Tesla saw production.
Several more trucks might beat the Cybertruck to American driveways. Chevrolet plans a Silverado EV for the 2024 model year. GMC plans a similar Sierra EV. Ram has its own electric pickup in the works, too.
Tesla, meanwhile, has delayed the Cybertruck several times in that same window. Musk initially said it would reach roads in 2021. Most recently, he promised production in “mid-2023.” If the Reuters report is accurate, Tesla will miss that window by a few months as well.
Price Rising
When he revealed the truck, Musk promised a starting price under $40,000. Three years and a period of heavy inflation later, he has said the company would miss that target.
That, however, is not unusual. Ford launched its Lightning with a sub-$40,000 price tag but quickly raised it to over $50,000.
