The Cybertruck: Status and Expectations from the Cosmic Microwave Radio Frequency Spectrometer (CMFS) and the Tesla Experiment
It’s been four years since CEO Elon Musk first showed the Cybertruck’s design, and two years since it didn’t meet its initial delivery target.
The company also provided updated details about the pricing, range, and features for the truck, much of which has changed significantly from the originally announced numbers. The rear-wheel drive version of the electric truck will start at $60,990 — up from the original price of $39,900 in 2019 — and will get 250 miles of range on a full charge. That version will be out in five years.
Many production problems are caused by that unusual material choice and aggressive design. The product looks wobbly without precise manufacturing instruments, according to Fast Company.
The body is full of sharp lines and straight edges, a wedge-like look that one designer likened to “origami.” During an embarrassing on-stage test its windows were breakable.
During an October earnings call, Musk said he wanted to “temper expectations” for how quickly production could ramp up and acknowledged that it could be 18 months before the Cybertruck contributes any significant cash flow.
The company says hundreds of thousands of people have put $100 deposits on the pickup, but there’s no idea how many of those deposits will translate into actual sales or even how many trucks it has actually produced.
Tesla has yet to announce, for example, whether the model will have power outlets for using tools or whether it could mimic the survival promise of its rival, the Ford F-150 A backup generator is being used by lightning.
While the basic single-motor truck would have a range of around 250 miles and a tow rating of 7,500 pounds using rear-wheel drive, the three-motor all-wheel-drive version would double that range and be capable of towing 14,000 pounds, Tesla says.
The Cybertruck has six seats and a cargo bed (or “vault,” as Tesla calls it) that’s 6 1/2 feet long. Its tailgate also hides a ramp for rolling materials or vehicles into the bed.
Electric Pickups and Power: Rivian vs. GM/Silver, F-150 Lightning, and the Cyberbeast
Interest in electric pickups continues to rise, but with a high price tag and concerns over the availability of charging stations, many consumers say they’re waiting to buy.
The company’s competitors came up with a plan. Rivian started sales of the R1T in 2021. The F-150 Lightning was sold by Ford. And GM began selling an electric version of its Silverado in limited numbers earlier this year.
Once you pay your “refundable” deposit, you’ll get an invitation when your Cybertruck is ready to be configured. It’s not confirmed if the Cyberbeast model carries the previously announced tri-motor setup.
A small group of early clients took delivery of Cybertruck at an event in Texas. Since reservations went up on Tesla’s website in 2019, the automaker happily accepted $100 deposits to get in line to buy a non-configured Cybertruck model. During the last earnings call, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed there were over 1 million preorders.
250 miles per charge for the Cybertruck is important, as is the Premium Cyberbeast. Compare that to plug-powered competitors including the Rivian R1T, which gets up to 350 miles and the Ford F-150 Lightning, which is between 230 and 320 miles.
The base model, which has a single-motor and is rear-wheel, will go from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds. The all-wheel drive middle model, available next year, can hit 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. The premium pick will top speeds of 130 mph, go 0 to 60 in 2.6 seconds, and haul 11,000 pounds, making it on par with the Rivian R1T.
From a Baseball to a Glass: The Case for the Cybertruck’s Walls of Chrysler in 1942–1944 (Recent Report on the Case of Von Holzhausen and Musk)
When the head of design for Chrysler tried to demonstrate the strength of the Cybertruck’s windows with a metal ball, Musk and the rest of the world launched a thousand meme about it. The glass fell apart. It wasn’t so hard to ride on its truck today. Von Holzhausen went after the windows with a baseball. The Cybertruck made it through.
