Four years after its public launch, Tesla's Cybertruck has finally welcomed its first customers. At a lavish event at the company's headquarters in Austin, Texas, where the first Tesla pickup trucks were delivered to 10 customers, Elon Musk predicted that the truck would usher in a new and more exciting future.
The company also provided updated details on the pickup's pricing, range, and features, most of which have changed significantly from the numbers originally announced. The rear-wheel-drive version of the electric pickup starts at $60,990 (up from $39,900 announced in 2019) and has a range of 250 miles on a full charge. The all-wheel drive version starts at $79,990 and has a range of 340 miles. And the enhanced version"cyberbeast"The model starts at $99,990 and has a range of about 320 miles.
The angular stainless steel electric pickup has long fascinated Tesla fans, but its multiple postponements have left some wondering if the pickup will actually arrive. The production process was reported to be extremely challenging for the company, mainly due to the choice to use super-hard stainless steel for the exterior. Boss Musk insisted that pickups must be bulletproof, which made the production process even more complicated.
Polarized design is another hot spot. The polygonal shape and sharp edges are meant to show that Tesla is not interested in competition in the traditional pickup market. This has led some experts to conclude that the Cybertruck may be more like Tesla's halo car, enticing consumers to buy its more practical (and usable) models, such as the Model 3 and Y.
In fact, before the press conference, Musk tried:"Moderate"expectations for the Cybertruck and warn investors that the Cybertruck will not start bringing to the company for at least a year to 18 months"Positive cash flow"。Tesla has said it expects to start producing 250,000 pickup trucks a year by 2025, but the ramp-up will be extremely difficult.
At the October earnings conference, Musk said"Demand exceeded expectations", noting that more than 1 million people have paid a $100 refundable deposit to book a cybertruck. But he also admits that the company may be too big. He said:"The Cybertruck is our own grave. You know, in general, no one digs better than digging their own graves. "
Now that Tesla's products are available, the focus will turn to Tesla's production and how the company can get these vehicles into the hands of customers as quickly as possible. As a newcomer to the competitive pickup truck market, it will also be interesting to see how well it stacks up against other electric pickups, such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T.
But none of these questions are likely to be moot, as Tesla is not expected to produce many new cars, at least not at first. This polarizing design can put off a large number of pickup customers. And, against the backdrop of a cooling EV market, Tesla's emergence also means that despite the cool styling, there are far fewer early users and technology obsessives in the market interested in buying giant polygon pickups.
From a sales perspective, the Cybertruck could end up being a hit. But even so, it can't match the historical sales of pickup trucks from companies like Ford, Chevrolet, and others. For Musk, plunging headlong into the lucrative and competitive pickup truck market with a controversial design and a difficult production process may seem like an odd choice — even for someone known for his odd choices.
In recent decades, much of the automotive industry's offerings have shifted to larger vehicles, and pickup trucks, especially some of these best-selling models. The company produces in large quantities, sells in large quantities, and then makes a profit. Tesla doesn't seem ready to reap the same benefits from the Cybertruck.