Bloomberg News reports that after two years of delay and production glitches, Tesla Inc. has finally handed over the first cybertrucks to its customers. The chief executive officer, Elon Musk, delivered a few vehicles to the owners Thursday. This also includes the co-founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian.
The handovers occurred at the Austin headquarters, where Elon Musk’s social media platform X live-streamed the launch event.
More about the Cybertrucks
There are three configurations of the Cyber truck. They are rear-wheel drive, Cyberbeast, and all-wheel drive.
The cost of the cheapest model of the Cybertruck is $60,990. This is approximately 50% more than the price quoted by Musk when he announced the launch of the vehicles in 2019.
But the rear-wheel drive model, which has a battery range of 250 miles, will not be available until 2025. Tesla is announcing deliveries next year related to two more expensive models, including the Cyberbeast, with a price tag of $100,000.
Tesla’s First Entry into the Pickup Truck Market
The announcement of Cybertruck marks Tesla’s entry into the pickup truck market in the United States, which is highly competitive.
The announcement and the move were met with a lot of excitement; however, they also generated a lot of doubt and criticism.
Musk Admits to Insane Difficulty in Truck Production
According to one analyst’s suggestion, the automaker must think of canceling the Cybertruck altogether since earnings profits from the model are unlikely. In the meantime, Musk was lamenting how hard it was to produce the vehicle.
Bloomberg News reports that when Tesla started taking deposits for the cybertruck in 2019, it announced that the price would range between $39,900 and $69,900. The EV maker’s website shows owners can enjoy savings, including federal tax credits and estimated gas savings over three years. And with these savings, the company has calculated that the cheapest version of the vehicle would cost $49,890.
Meeting Buyers’ Needs
On Thursday, Musk said he was confident it would meet buyers’ requirements, regardless of whether they were looking for a utility or flashy vehicle. The fastest cybertruck will reach 60 miles per hour from a static position in 2.6 seconds. It picks up speed faster than the Porsche 911 Turbo S, although slower than the Tesla Model S Plaid.
According to Tesla, the vehicle can tow approximately 11,000 pounds, more than a battery-powered Ford F-150. The car also boasts 17-inch ground clearance, more than all F-150 versions and the electric Rivian R1Tpickup. Musk said the truck is handy and not just a showpiece.
