Following a two-year delay, Tesla finally released its first Cybertruck on July 15. The Electric Vehicle (EV) giant, owned by Elon Musk, introduced the new vehicle in Austin, Texas. The unusual-looking pickup comes with unbreakable windows, a solar roof, and a “nearly impenetrable exoskeleton.” It boasts 0 to 60 mph acceleration in 2.9 seconds and a 500-mile range.
Production of the vehicle was pushed back to 2023 because of a lack of available components, according to Elon Musk. The company hopes to produce a quarter of a million of the cars per year, depending on demand. Its price estimate is around $40,000 to $70,000.
Early reviews are largely positive. Reviewers from the UK-based Auto Express were among the first to experience the car in California in 2019. Writing for Auto Express, Steve Fowler said it reminded him of the DeLorean from the movie Back to the Future and described it as large but not too large. Fowler wrote that there is plenty of room inside and the solar panel roof provides a beautiful view.
US reviewer Bryan Hood echoed many of Fowler’s talking points but spoke in detail about the car’s power and the variants that will be available when it is introduced to the mass market later this year. “The entry-level pickup features one motor and a rear-wheel-drive system, while the two- and three-motor models will both have all-wheel drive,” Hood wrote.
During its launch, Musk said the three variants of the truck can tow 7,500 pounds, 10,000 pounds, and 14,000 pounds, respectively.
The Cybertruck is launched while figures show Tesla amassing huge profits and sales. In the three months leading up to June this year, the company sold 446,140 cars worldwide, a rise of 83% for the same period in 2022. Tax incentives introduced by the Biden administration are said to be fuelling the sales increase. Biden said he wants 50% of America’s cars to be electricity-powered by 2030.
