After four years, the long-awaited launch of the Tesla Cybertruck electric pickup has come and gone.
The boxy vehicle is Tesla’s first new model since 2020, when it began delivering the Model Y. However, the Cybertruck’s initial debut predates that moment. Tesla CEO Elon Musk showed off an early version of the pickup at a memorable 2019 event when he accidentally broke two windows while trying to demonstrate the Cybertruck’s durability.
Here we’ll answer some questions we thought an intrepid explorer like you might ask (err… type in a search bar) about Tesla’s Cybertruck, including details on the vehicle’s specs, availability, and design. The first deliveries, in which about 10 high-profile customers like Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian took possession of the truck, took place on November 30 at the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin.
While we have plenty of details, it’s still unclear whether the Cybertruck will begin the vehicle’s journey to success or failure.
What is Cybertruck?
The Cybertruck is a steel-clad electric truck made by Tesla. According to Musk, the vehicle is less than 19 feet long and has a bed longer than six feet. It has four doors and room for six adults.
Tesla shared Cybertruck specs in 2019, promising three variants of the vehicle. This included a $39,900 rear-wheel-drive single-engine version with a 250-mile range. But that was ages ago, figuratively speaking. At least one variant is reported to weigh about as big as a Hummer.
Tesla plans to offer three variants of the Cybertruck, but pricing, range and other specifications have changed since 2019.
The cheapest Cybertruck, a rear-wheel-drive version with a 250-mile range, a 6.9-second zero-to-60-mph time, won’t be available until 2025. The four-wheel-drive version is estimated to have a 340-mile range and a top speed of 112 mph.
The third variant, called the Cyberbeast, has three engines that produce 845 horsepower, a 0-60 mph time of 2.6 seconds, and a top speed of 130 mph. The Cyberbeast has an estimated range of 320 miles and a price tag of $99,990. Both all-wheel drive and Cyberbeast versions have a strong towing capacity of 11,000 pounds.
The company is also set to offer a range extender that will push the all-wheel drive version to around 470 miles and the Cyberbeast to more than 440 miles of range. After the event, Musk took to X, formerly Twitter, to give some more details about this add-on. He said the range extender will be an “optional package that fits about 1/3 of the truck bed. Still room for plenty of cargo. It is intended for very long trips or towing heavy things in the mountains.”
Why does Cybertruck look like this?
Also referred to as early stage Cybrtrk trademark, the Cybertruck’s name, neon logo, and exterior evoke a kind of cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic aesthetic. Why; Because Musk wants it.
The electric pickup is made of steel, a hard material that resists rust but is difficult to shape. The stiffness of the material influenced the strongly geometric design of the EV. also led to startup delays and blank panels in Cybertruck test vehicles.
Musk has is described the tank-like vehicle as “an armored personnel carrier from the future – the one the Bladerunner would drive.” The important thing is that while Bladerunner is an amazing movie, it portrays a terrifying dystopia.
Is the Cybertruck still for sale?
Tesla expects it mass production Cybertrucks starting in 2024, but unless you’re a rich early adopter with special Tesla connections, securing a Cybertruck won’t be easy early on. You will need to get in line behind the people who booked the truck back in 2019.
That said, you may be able to jump ahead for a price: Obviously, Cybertruck Reservations they appeared on eBay for $10,000. Proceed with caution. I’m not sure how easy it would be to verify if the offers are legit, and Musk has threatened to punish resellers in the past.
Cybertruck price tags vary by variant and add-ons. The tl;dr is that all important prices are higher than advertised in 2019. The rear-wheel-drive version — which, a reminder, isn’t available until 2025 — starts at $60,990. The all-wheel-drive version has a starting price of $79,990, and the Cyberbeast costs just $100,000.
The federal tax credit for EVs has a number of eligibility requirements, including price. Under current rules, trucks and SUVs priced over $80,000 do not qualify for the $7,500 credit.
Can I resell my Cybertruck?
Tesla indeed threatened to punish early Cybertruck resellers, but appeared to depart from its previously published rules in a November 2023 update to its US order agreement page. The rules once stated that Cybertruck customers could not sell their vehicles in their first year of ownership without permission from Tesla. The rules also said the company would seek $50,000 in damages from early resellers. But that language is gone from that page, at least for now.
Can I fit a bike in the bed of a Cybertruck?
This depends on the size of the bike and how it is stored. From what we can tell, you will probably need a wheel hanging over the tailgate.
Elon Musk has promised that Cybertrucks will have beds longer than six feet. The truck bed in the production version is six feet and slightly longer with the tailgate down. From the end of one wheel to the opposite end of the other, adult bicycles are usually longer than six feet. (On a related note, the City of Los Angeles recommends that there be at least bicycle parking spaces six feet longas well as South Carolina Palmetto Cycling Coalition. Regardless, it’s a close fit.)
A motorcycle would probably be more difficult. This is not a Silverado.
Is the Cybertruck good for the climate?
In general, electric vehicles is better for the climate than the corresponding gases because they have no exhaust emissions. However, all cars are polluting. This includes consumer electric vehicles, since they require lithiumrelease tire particles in the air and require more energy than more efficient means of transport such as public transport, cycling and walking. Mining battery materials is also is linked to the exploitation of workers.
What about the size of the Cybertruck? Experts raised red flags over the balloon size and weight vehicles in the U.S. Extra large vehicles usually require more energy, and therefore more battery materials, which increases their environmental cost. When it comes to collisions, the largest and heaviest vehicles are less safe for everyone around themespecially pedestrians.
Among EVs, they are the vehicles with smaller batteries generally better for the environment.
Stay tuned
We have many more questions and expect Tesla to share more details at the delivery event on November 30th. How does the Cybertruck compare to other Teslas? What about electric pickups from the competition, including Ford or GMC? When will Tesla release the cheaper, single-engine Cybertruck variant it promised in 2019? Check back for updates as we learn more.
