The company will make the first deliveries of the Cybertruck on Thursday.
Since Tesla unveiled a prototype of its Cybertruck four years ago, the electric pickup truck has remained in the realm of preorders and earnings-call updates until thisweek.On Thursday, the company will make its first deliveries of the Cybertruck at a high-profile event sure to be closely watched by consumers and Wall Street investors alike.
Encased in stainless steel, the Cybertruck boasts a payload and tow capacity that rival some other pickup trucks on the market.But the ramp-up to full production will likely stretch into 2025, well-behind an initial rollout goal, Musk said on an earnings call last month.
Here’s what to know about the Tesla Cybertruck, the delivery event on Thursday and when the car will be made widely available for purchase:What do we know so far about the Cybertruck?The Cybertruck made headlines for a miscue at a prototype-reveal event in 2019, when Musk touted its “armored” glass but a window unexpectedly shattered seconds later during a demo.The signature feature of the Cybertruck, meanwhile, may be its stainless steel frame.
The steel resists dents, allows customers to forego a paint job and is “literally bulletproof,” according to Musk.The Cybertruck has a 3,500-pound payload capacity and 100 cubic feet of storage space, Musk said. The vehicle has room to seat six adults, the company says. A 17-inch touchscreen rests atop the center of the dashboard, alongside an otherwise spare interior.Drivers can raise or lower the suspension 4 inches, Tesla says.Tesla will offer three versions of the vehicle, ranging in price from $39,000 to $69,000, according to the release event in 2019.
When will the Cybertruck be widely available for purchase?Tesla faces “enormous challenges” scaling up production of the Cybertruck, Musk told investors on an earnings call last month. On a previous earnings call, Musk said the company “dug our own grave” with the decision to develop the Cybertruck.
Last month, Musk cited innovative features of the Cybertruck as a key reason for the delay.”Prototypes are easy,” Musk said.”Production is hard.””You will have problems proportionate to how many new things you’re trying to solve at scale,” Musk added.Ultimately, Tesla will produce 250,000 Cybertrucks per year, Musk said, noting that the company likely won’t reach that output rate until 2025.”You have to invent not just the car but the way to make the car,” he added. “So, the more uncharted the territory, the less predictable the outcome.”
