The Tesla Cybertruck Is Finally Ready! Production-spec Details Revealed As First 10 Customers Take Delivery

The electric pickup is made of a special alloy that’s corrosion-resistant and supposedly bulletproof

• Nearly 4 years after it first debuted, the Tesla Cybertruck is finally ready for customers.

• Gets three powertrain options and a claimed range of up to 550 km.

• Top-spec tri-motor variant is called the Cyberbeast and packs over 850 PS.

• Practical storage inside and in the payload area with rugged design.

• All-wheel-drive variant deliveries to continue in 2024, base variant to arrive in 2025.

The Tesla Cybertruck is one of the most highly anticipated vehicles in recent times, with an order book standing at 10 lakh units. Since its debut as a pre-production concept in 2019, the outlandish electric pickup has been inching closer to production and last night, the world was introduced to the road-ready version. Here’s everything we learned about the Cybertruck from the Tesla delivery event:

Powertrain Options

The Tesla Cybertruck will be offered with three drivetrain options: rear-wheel drive, dual-motor all-wheel-drive and tri-motor all-wheel drive. The single motor base option is said to arrive in 2025 with an estimated claimed range of just over 400 km. We do have more details available for the other two options though, with the dual motor setup packing 608 PS/ 10,000 Nm for a 0-96 kmph sprint time of 4.1 seconds. This version has an estimated range of just under 550 km.

The top-spec Tesla Cybertruck has been dubbed the Cyberbeast. Its tri-motor setup will offer a combined output of 857 PS and close to 14,000 Nm of peak torque. For this one, Tesla claims a 0-96 kmph time of 2.6 seconds (minus the rollout), and an estimated range of 515 km. While still impressive given the design and performance, those range figures are a long way short of the originally promised 800 km figure.

Faster Than A Porsche 911

November 30, 2023

Tesla EVs are known for their insane acceleration and tend to dominate the drag strip. The Cybertruck is no different and the carmaker showed it off at the event with a clip of the Cyberbeast beating a Porsche 911 (likely the base variant) on a drag strip, while also towing a Porsche 911. 

Faster Charging

Tesla has not specified the battery pack size for the Cybertruck, but it features 800V electrical infrastructure for even faster charging speeds of up to 250kW. Those speeds will be good enough to add up to 218 km of range in just 15 minutes.

Also read: When Is Tesla Coming To India? Everything We Know So Far

Retains Futuristic Design

When the Tesla Cybertruck debuted with its wedge-like design that seemed to be inspired by video games of an apocalyptic future, we expected the eventual production model to be more toned down and realistic. However, Tesla has taken its time to make that vision a reality, complete with the rolling tonneau cover for the loading bay. It still has a large glass roof, rides with a ground clearance of at least 432mm, and runs on 20-inch wheels. There are almost no breaks in the smooth surface design all around with LED lighting strips front and rear.

Built For Almost Anything

One of the boasts for the Cybertruck at its debut was that it will be tougher than any other pickup in the market. So, Tesla developed its own stainless steel super alloy for the body panels that gives the pickup great torsional rigidity and also happens to be bullet proof. During the delivery event, Tesla showcased the production-spec Cybertruck easily withstanding an assault from a .45 caliber Tommy gun, a handgun and even a submachine gun. When Tesla CEO Elon Musk was asked during the presentation why he wanted to make the Cybertruck bulletproof, he simply answered, “Why not?”

November 30, 2023

Turns out, one of the reasons for the wedge-like body shape of the Tesla Cyberstruck is that this sheet metal is too stiff and cannot be stamped into other shapes. Another advantage is that this super alloy does not suffer from corrosion and does not need any paint. So, technically, you can only buy the Cybertruck in the one exterior colour.

Taking things up another notch is that the electric pickup comes with armor glass that can withstand heavy impacts from rocks and harsh weather. Consequently, it also results in a much quieter cabin. The downside of this durable design appears to be some ergonomic shortcomings, one of which is reportedly the lack of a door opening mechanism to get into the Cybertruck from the passenger side. According to some online reports, it can only be opened from the inside by the driver, or from the inside door-unlock system on the passenger side.

Practical Too

The Tesla Cybertruck is not just about the cool stuff. It’s actually a practical pickup with a payload capacity of over 1,100kg with a space measuring 4ft wide and 6ft long. There’s additional storage in the frunk (front trunk in the absence of an engine). Furthermore, it’s quite capable off-road with lockable front and rear differentials and it can use all of its 432mm of ground clearance thanks to a flat underbody.

It also packs independent adaptive air suspension for each corner for a comfortable ride quality. The electric pickup also packs four-wheel steering for improved maneuverability, and Tesla claims the Cybertruck has a smaller turning circle than the Model S sedan. 

Simplistic Interiors

The Tesla Cybertruck continues the trend of minimalist interiors, highlighted by the ambient lighting all around. It has a square steering wheel with the AC vents hidden into the dashboard design, with the only notable detail being the massive 18.5-inch touchscreen infotainment unit. The rear passengers also get their own 9.4-inch touchscreen unit housed in the back of the centre console tunnel. There are many options to charge other devices throughout the cabin with wireless charging, 65W USB-C ports, and 120V/240V power outlets.

Additionally, the Tesla Cybertruck has a built-in HEPA filter to protect the cabin from airborne particles. When activated to insulate the cabin entirely, Tesla calls it the Bioweapon defense mode.

Related: These Are The 10 Most Affordable Cars With A Proper Air Purifier

Cybertruck Prices And Deliveries

The next batch of Tesla Cybertruck deliveries will start in 2024, still for the dual-motor and tri-motor all-wheel-drive variants only. Here’s how it is priced before optional extras:

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Here too, Tesla missed one of the targeted claims of a peak price tag of USD 70,000 for the fully-loaded Cybertruck. We will have to wait and see customer experiences to know if the revised pricing is justified. Tesla plans to ramp up production for the Cybertruck up to 2.5 lakh units a year, but that will take time.