How Much Is a Tesla Cybertruck and When Is the Release Date?
Key Takeaways
- The Tesla Cybertruck’s introduction didn’t go as planned, with the glass cracking during a demonstration, but it only served to increase the hype surrounding the futuristic electric pickup.
- The Cybertruck promises exceptional performance, with jaw-dropping figures that can rival high-performance EV models. It also boasts impressive payload and towing capacity, as well as unique features like a custom-built ATV.
- While the Rivian R1T has already hit the market and offers similar capabilities, the Cybertruck’s larger bed size and rear-wheel steering give it an advantage. Tesla is expected to deliver on its promise of outperforming its rivals in the electric pickup truck segment.
The Tesla Cybertruck is one of the most hyped products ever. Elon Musk has been stoking people’s interest in this futuristic electric pickup for years, especially after the “armored glass” fiasco. The problem is that the Cybertruck was announced in November 2019, and it’s still missing from the electric pickup truck segment.
In its absence, Rivian and Ford have had the market to themselves. This begs the question: when will the Cybertruck reach the market, how much will it cost, and how will it compare to an increasing number of talented rivals?
The Cybertruck’s Introduction Didn’t Go According to Plan
The Tesla Cybertruck wowed the world when it was introduced by Elon Musk, even if the introduction didn’t go quite according to plan. The Cybertruck was supposed to be the most impressive pickup truck ever conceived; it even featured armored windows, which would be impervious to metal objects launched directly at them.
But a major failure occurred on stage the day the Cybertruck was introduced. The glass cracked during the demonstration that was supposed to show how tough it was, and Elon looked ready to fire a lot of people. However, the fiasco only served to magnify the hype surrounding the Cybertruck. Memes began to rain, and the press went crazy. The only thing anyone talked about the next day was the Cybertruck’s armored glass.
But the truck itself also got plenty of attention, and deservedly so, because many of the specs that Elon Musk raved about on stage were extremely impressive. The Cybertruck was (and still is) unlike anything we’ve ever seen. The shape is straight out of a science fiction movie, and the performance numbers promised during the unveiling are astounding.
The Tesla Cybertruck Promises to Deliver Phenomenal Performance
Tesla‘s description of the Cybertruck perfectly captures the essence of the electric pickup truck:
Better utility than a truck with more performance than a sports car
The Cybertruck specs that Tesla promised at the time of the truck’s unveiling were unheard of, with performance ratings comparable to high-performance EV models. The Cybertruck promised to deliver jaw-dropping figures that could rival Ferraris and Lamborghinis while towing massive loads and delivering impressive payload capacity.
The Cybertruck even featured a custom-built ATV (the so-called Cyberquad) that could be charged directly from the EV pickup truck’s bed. Tesla promises 3,500 lbs of payload capacity and 14,000+ lbs of towing capacity. These numbers are incredible enough for any vehicle, but they’re truly remarkable when you consider that the Cybertruck is also supposed to accelerate to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds.
Will Tesla’s Cybertruck Be Better Than the Rivian R1T?
The Rivian R1T is a truck that delivers a lot of what the Cybertruck promised, and it’s already for sale. The R1T has stolen some of the Cybertruck’s thunder, but the hype surrounding the Cybertruck is still going strong. Elon Musk said the Cybertruck isn’t like any other vehicle, and this isn’t just Tesla marketing. The Cybertruck is difficult to compare to anything, even the R1T, because of how unique it is.
The Rivian can be configured to tow 11,000 lbs. It can also accelerate to 60 mph in 3 seconds. Both of these figures inspire the same kind of awe that the Cybertruck specifications originally did. With its Cybertruck, Tesla promised the craziest stats in the world mixed with amazing utility, but Rivian was the first to deliver all of that in a truck.
When the Cybertruck hits the market, it will have to prove that it can outperform the multitalented Rivian truck. This is a challenge that Tesla will likely have no problem handling, especially considering all the performance EV expertise Tesla has racked up with its Plaid versions of the Model X and Model S.
The Cybertruck already has the R1T beat when it comes to bed length. The Rivian’s 4.5-foot-long bed is puny compared to the Tesla’s bed, which is expected to be over 6-foot-long. Bed size is very important in the world of pickup trucks, and the Cybertruck has the advantage. The Tesla truck will also offer rear-wheel steering, which the R1T can’t be equipped with.
One place the R1T will most surely have the Cybertruck beat is its front trunk, because judging from the leaked video of the Cybertruck’s frunk, it’s not exactly cavernous. Another interesting Cybertruck tidbit (if you believe Elon Musk) is that the Cybertruck is waterproof enough to serve as a boat for brief stints. This isn’t something we’d recommend trying with your Cybertruck, though.
Tesla has mentioned that it will offer a quad-motor setup on the Cybertruck instead of the tri-motor configuration the company previously said it would put in the top version. This is likely a direct response to the Rivian R1T and its quad-motor AWD. The Cybertruck’s 4680 battery cells are 10% more energy dense than those currently in production, which shows Tesla is really taking every part of the Cybertruck’s development seriously.
When Will the Cybertruck Go on Sale?
Tesla’s product release schedule is subject to frequent changes, so it can be difficult to predict when a new model is coming out, but it seems this time around, the Cybertruck is indeed around the corner.
Elon Musk commented that he expects Cybertruck deliveries to kick off at the end of Q3 2023 at a special delivery event, which means that select individuals (most likely Tesla insiders) will be able to get their hands on a Cybertruck before the end of 2023.
Tesla is also expected to release full specifications for the Cybertruck during this special delivery event. Elon Musk said that Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas has already built its first production candidate Cybertruck, hinting that Tesla could begin production in early October.
Elon Musk tweeted a photo of himself behind the wheel of one of these production candidate Cybertrucks, and it looks great. Trucks carrying multiple Cybertrucks from Gigafactory Austin to Tesla’s Fremont facility have also been spotted, and they all appear to be production-ready models, which hints at how close the truck is to production at this point.
How Much Will the Tesla Cybertruck Cost?
The Cybertruck was originally supposed to go on sale in three price tiers. The single-motor variant would cost $39,900. The dual-motor version of the futuristic EV pickup truck was priced at $49,900. The most expensive Cybertruck (the tri-motor variant) was supposed to cost $69,900.
Elon Musk initially presented the truck as an affordable electric pickup for the masses. This always seemed a bit farfetched, especially considering that the Cybertruck was made of stainless steel and featured armored glass. Not only that, but it also has unique styling and enormous off-road wheels. Air suspension was also standard, even on the single-motor variant.
The Cybertruck would be an absolute steal at these prices, even if the quad-motor version, which will replace the tri-motor version, is substantially more expensive. Even at an elevated price point, the Cybertruck is impressive when you compare its performance figures to conventional pickup trucks currently on sale.
Speaking at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, Elon Musk stated that the price of the Cybertruck will increase, as will the specifications:
Cybertruck pricing was unveiled in 2019, and the reservation was $99. A lot has changed since then, so the specs and the pricing will be different. I hate to give sort of a little bit of bad news, but I think there’s no way to sort of have anticipated quite the inflation that we’ve seen and the various issues.
Realistically, a $39,900 version of the Cybertruck doesn’t seem likely, and prices will most certainly rise across the entire Cybertruck lineup.
The Cybertruck Is Finally Nearing Its Release
The Cybertruck is one of the most anticipated products ever. Hopefully, Tesla can bring this unusual yet highly capable vehicle to market and make it another one of the many reasons people are falling in love with Tesla. Even if it’s taken a while to get the Cybertruck to market, if Tesla delivers on the vehicle’s awesome potential, people will definitely love it, even if they will have to pay more than they anticipated.
