Tesla Has Released the First Cybertruck After Several Years of Delay
Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla has launched the first production model of the Cybertruck electric pickup truck. It was built in Texas at the Giga Texas factory, according to Electrek. A photo of this vehicle was posted on Twitter with the caption: "First Cybertruck built at Giga Texas!" The fact that the company shared a photo of the completed Cybertruck indicates that they are on their way to meeting the final release deadline set by Elon Musk.
Earlier this year, Musk predicted that mass production of the Cybertruck would begin in 2024, with limited production likely starting "this summer." He recently informed investors that Tesla would hold an event dedicated to the Cybertruck in the third quarter of 2023.
The signature stainless steel frame of the Cybertruck requires the use of advanced manufacturing technologies that are not typically used in other vehicles. Tesla has also encountered challenges related to the next-generation 4680 batteries.
The initial release date for the Cybertruck was slated for 2021. At that time, Tesla announced that prices for the vehicle would start at $39,900 for the single-motor variant, while the model with three motors would cost $70,000. Currently, there is no new information regarding the vehicle's pricing, although it is evident that it may increase.
The Tesla Cybertruck is an electric van-based pickup truck designed in a cyberpunk style. Its payload capacity is nearly 1.6 tons. Depending on the model, it can travel between 400 and 800 km on a single charge and accelerate from 0 to 97 km/h in 2.9 seconds.
In 2013, Elon Musk expressed his desire to build a truck with an air suspension system that dynamically adjusts the load and maintains the correct angle of the vehicle. In 2016, he specified that it would have a pickup truck chassis, and its size and power would allow it to transport another pickup truck. In terms of towing capacity, the Cybertruck will match or surpass the Ford F-150.
In June 2018, Musk asked Twitter users what specific features they would like to see in a pickup truck. He received nearly 27,000 responses, and some of the suggested features were indeed incorporated into the design of the vehicle.