By
Svetlana Soroka
April 18th, 2024
Tesla has unleashed its much-anticipated futuristic Cybertruck but the news had little impact on the TSLA stock gaining just 0.74% to trade at $354.83.
After years of teasing, they have finally done it. Tesla has unleashed its futuristic Cybertruck. Cybertruck is its real name and it does not resemble any other real truck in existence today. However, despite all the excitement during the launch, the TSLA stock just responded slightly gaining around 0.74% currently trading at $354.83.
With an angular design that almost resembles Christopher Nolan’s Batmobile, Tesla’s Cybertruck is designed to be tough. It comprises of an “ultra-hard” cold-rolled steel and extra-tough armor glass that aims to enhance the safety of its occupants. However, Elon Musk’s glitzy unveiling of his first truck design resulted in farce when a PR showcase of the ‘bulletproof’ body strength resulted in smashed windows.
Tesla had tested the toughness of the Cybertruck by hitting the truck with a sledgehammer and shooting it with a gun. Musk proudly said that they created an exoskeleton that is literally bulletproof to a 9mm handgun coming with a price ranging between $39,900 and $69,900. He was speaking at the launch of the truck in Los Angeles.
The Origin
Tesla officially announced that production will begin in late 2021. Previously, Musk tweeted that the Cybertruck design was partially influenced by the Lotus Esprit sportscar. That sportscar doubled as a submarine featuring in the 1970s James Bond film dubbed ‘The Spy Who Loved Me.’
Tesla’s Model 3 sedan ranks as the best selling battery-electric car. This is the first venture into pickup trucks by the company, a market dominated primarily by the Ford F-150 and other competitors by General and Fiat Chrysler.
What begun as a casual comment in 2012 by Musk about building a truck has evolved into the Cybertruck unveiled on November 21, 2019. The truck is designed to fulfill most of the familiar tasks but beyond that everything else about it is futuristic. In 2012, Musk said that he would make a super truck with dynamic air suspension and ‘crazy torque.’
In 2013, he confirmed that Tesla is planning to make a truck. The pickup concept even appeared in Musk’s second ‘master plan’ for Tesla published in 2016. In April 2017, Musk took to Twitter again stating that the event would happen in “18 to 24 months.”
In 2018, he announced that the truck had adopted a “futuristic-like cyberpunk, Blade Runner” design. Since then, he has said that the truck is his favorite project among all the ones that Tesla is developing.
Size and Performance
The Cybertruck measured 75 inches tall, 79.8 inches wide, and 231.7 inches long. It has a seating capacity of six which puts it in the same size range as the other pickup trucks in the market. For instance, the Ford F-150 measures between 80 and 86 inches wide, 209 and 250 inches long, and between 75 and 78.5 inches tall.
In the case of performance, Musk alleges that the Cybertruck will reach a speed of 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. It will then continue through the quarter-mile marker in under 11 seconds. Similarly, its off-road performance is commendable offering a 28-degree departure angle, a 35-degree approach angle, and around 16 inches of ground clearance.
It will be available in three ranges with the “250+” miles at the low end and an astounding “500+” miles at the top.
Currently, it is challenging to compare Cybertruck with anything else on the road but it might have a competitor coming into the market too. Rivian announced its R1T that promises over 400 miles of range and 700 hp. It has a 0-to-60 time of 3.2 seconds, 1,764 pounds of payload, and 11,000 pounds of towing. It comes with a price tag of $69,000.
Tesla’s truck also comes with an integrated tonneau cover that is significantly strong to stand on up to 100 cubic feet of exterior cargo capacity enhanced with adjustable suspension. In spite of this, it can carry up to six adults and the company plans to install quite the tailgating package on this futuristic truck.
Cybertruck comes in three basic configurations depending on the number of motors.
Anyone interested in the Cybertruck can place their pre-order on Tesla’s site with a $100 deposit today. Production starts in late 2021 for the single and dual-motor models. On the other hand, the productions for the tri-motor model will start in late 2022.