Angular Future Pickup Debuts To Mixed Reviews
Elon Musk is a man on a mission. Not only does he plan to go to Mars; perhaps even more ambitious, this week he introduced a new Tesla model with the stated goal of going after the U.S.’s top-selling vehicles. The Tesla Cybertruck is a study contrasts.
Musk presented the truck at what has become his standard rock star blast. A crowd of maybe a thousand enthusiasts wait in anticipation and cheer every word and action. Usually there are a few surprises along with a parlor trick or two. I counted three surprises on Thursday night:
- The truck itself—a radical departure from not only traditional pickup styling, but even from the standard body-on-frame structure found on the best-selling models.
- A Tesla ATV that popped up into the bed of the Cybertruck.
- The failed demo of the Tesla Armor Glass where a steel ball twice shattered the truck’s supposed bulletproof glass.
The Big Picture
While presented as being as beefy and capable as the Ford F-150, because of its non-standard configuration, the Cybertruck will likely fail to be seen as a true head-to-head competitor, even if it can keep to its stated $39,900 starting price. Styling alone dooms it in the traditional truck market, although it will undoubtedly attract new folks into the segment. The fixed 6.5-foot bed likewise limits its appeal as a real work truck, despite an impressive list of capabilities.
The other factor that will impact the Cybertruck’s market entrance is something Tesla hasn’t had to deal with in its previous four models (Roadster, S, X and 3)—real competition. Musk said the first Cybertruck’s could be “configured” in late 2021, a notable hedge on promising delivery or even production. Of course, Tesla has been notoriously late with all of its product launches so the hedge is a bit of an acknowledgement of that.
The problem is that by late 2021 the Rivian will have been on the market for a year (assuming it meets its production schedule), but more significant is that both Ford and Chevrolet have promised to have their own fully electric pickups rolling out of their factories in the same timeframe. The pickup segment is one of the most competitive ones out there and, because its also one of the most lucrative ones for automakers, it is not one that anyone will surrender meekly. Those competitors also now have a clear target to aim at.
The Stats
Of course, production is still two years (at least) away and things probably will change, but Musk presented the basics of the Cybertruck. Even though the shape and exoskeleton structure are unconventional, the dimensions are not. The truck is 231.7 inches long, 79.8 inches wide and 75 inches high. It seats six and has a standard 6.5-foot bed, capable of taking on a 3,500-pound payload in its 200 cubic feet of space. Towing capacity on the max-power version will be 14,000 pounds.
Some of the unique features may set the pickup apart even more. An adaptive air suspension will be standard so the truck will be able to adjust its ride height based on payload and conditions. According to Musk it will boast 16 inches of ground clearance for off-road excursions. The exterior of the truck is cold-rolled stainless steel. In a more successful demo (compared to the Armor Glass), an employee took a sledge hammer to door of the Cybertruck and didn’t produce even a minor dent. Autopilot also will come standard although the Tesla order sight noted that self-driving capability (a later arrival) would cost $7,000.
No announcements were made about potential production sites or expected volumes, but the implication was Tesla was targeting the largest volume classes of vehicles in order to further ramp up its own volumes. Recognizing the diversity of the category, Tesla will try to address it with three models:
- The base $39,900 model due to arrive late 2021. It will have a single motor driving the rear wheels, payload of 3,500 pounds and a towing capacity of 7,500 pounds. The motor will take it from 0-to-60 in approximately 6.5 seconds. The battery pack will give it 250 miles of range.
- The midlevel $49,900 model will offer two motors producing all-wheel drive and 300 miles of range. It will tow 10,000 pounds and be two seconds faster to 60 than the base model. It also will appear in late 2021. Payload is the same.
- The tri-motor $69,900 model will be a later arrival (late 2022), but will have 500 miles of range and the top performance statistics of the three, capable of towing 14,000 pounds and delivering 2.9 second 0-to-60 times.
True to form, Tesla offered the crowd the opportunity to put in an order for the Cybertruck for a refundable $100 deposit. That’s significantly less than what they’ve asked for past sedans, perhaps an acknowledgement of the looming competition.
The intro was short, but the reaction has gone on for days and can be expected to linger. While it’s easy for Tesla skeptics to dismiss the radical-looking vehicle as another Elon flight-of-fancy, the EV community and even hard-care enthusiasts are split on whether the pickup is likely to be successful—or will even see production. Several other models are ahead of it in the queue, so we’ll have to wait and see.
What do you think?
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