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First Tesla Cybertruck deliveries scheduled for next month – for real this time

Originally unveiled in November 2019, the hotly anticipated Cybertruck might actually hit the road soon

Published: 20 Oct 2023

Tesla CEO and part-time Twitter nuisance Elon Musk showed the world the Cybertruck back in November 2019 which, wow, feels like an eon ago. Ridiculous as it was – and still is – the big, spaceship-looking Cybertruck continues to be a hot commodity, with some sources estimating as many as 1.8 million pre-orders for Tesla’s bonkers brutalist beast.

Okay, so what’s the latest news?

According to Car and Driver, on Tesla’s third-quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk said the first Cybertruck deliveries will take place on 30 November at the company’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas. In other words, the truck might actually be real. Finally. Probably. Maybe. We think.

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Business Insider reports that Musk said the company “dug its own grave” with the Cybertruck, saying it’ll take years for Tesla to ramp up production of its weird truck. "Special products that come along once in a long while are just incredibly difficult to bring to market to reach volume, to be prosperous," Musk added.

So production is underway, then?

Sort of – but not in full force, anyway. It took a while for Tesla’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas to come online, but several Cybertrucks have recently been spotted with and without camouflage, InsideEVs reports.

Giga Texas currently builds the Tesla Model Y electric SUV, and the factory’s website still says it’s the “future home” of the Cybertruck.

Can you still reserve a Cybertruck?

Sure can. All it takes is $100 USD – fully refundable, of course.

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A week after the Cybertruck’s initial introduction, Elon Musk claimed the company already had 250,000 reservations. Independent sources now estimate there are anywhere between 1.5 million and 1.8 million people interested in buying a Cybertruck.

But how much does it actually cost?

That depends on which version you want. In the US, Tesla says the base Cybertruck will cost $39,900 with a single electric motor and rear-wheel drive. Stepping up from there, the dual-motor AWD version costs $49,900, and the tri-motor truck commands $69,900. None of those prices factor in a mandatory destination fee or any federal or local tax credits, natch.

Refresh my memory: what are the specs?

Tesla has yet to confirm official details like horsepower, torque, or battery size, but we do know the company will sell the Cybertruck in single-, dual-, and tri-motor variants. The base version is expected to launch to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, while the dual-motor example quickens that sprint to 4.5 seconds. At the top of the range, Tesla says the tri-motor Cybertruck will be able to hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, which is insane, given the size of this thing. Then again, Tesla also said the Cybertruck will be able to “serve briefly as a boat", so really, anything’s possible at this point.

When it comes time to do truck stuff, the Cybertruck is expected to be nicely equipped, able to carry 3,500 pounds in its 6.5-foot bed. Single- and dual-motor versions are estimated to be able to tow 7,500 and 10,000 pounds, respectively, while the tri-motor truck ups that figure to 14,000 pounds, which is impressive.

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All Cybertrucks will have self-leveling air suspension, able to raise or lower the pickup by a maximum of four inches. Inside, there’ll be a 17-inch touchscreen standard, likely housing all of the truck’s controls, like other Teslas. And yes, the company’s stupid yoke is expected to be offered, as well.

And the range?

It’s also impressive – though, again, we only have Tesla’s estimates to go on right now. The company is targeting at least 250 miles of range for the base model, 300 miles for the dual-motor Cybertruck, and more than 500 miles for the top dog tri-motor pickup.

To put that in perspective, the Ford F-150 Lightning can travel a maximum of 320 miles on a full charge, and the outrageous GMC Hummer EV is estimated to go 329 miles. Do note, though: Tesla’s official range estimates tend to be rather optimistic – especially on America’s EPA test cycle.

We’re definitely curious to see how it’ll all shake out if and when the Cybertruck finds its way into public hands this year.

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