Tesla Cybertruck: A 2023 update on Elon Musk’s crazy pickup

Tesla CEO and part-time Twitter nuisance Elon Musk showed the world the Cybertruck back in November 2019 which, wow, feels like an eon ago. Ridiculous as it was – and still is – the big, spaceship-looking Cybertruck continues to be a hot commodity, with some sources estimating as many as 1.8 million pre-orders for Tesla’s bonkers brutalist beast.

Deliveries of the fully electric Cybertruck were originally expected to kick off in 2021, which was later pushed to 2022. Now, Musk insists the stainless-steel-bodied pickup will be in customers’ hands before the end of 2023. Based on recent reports, that might actually come to fruition.

Possibly. Maybe. We think.

Okay, so what’s the latest news?

On 25 June, Tesla design boss Franz von Holzhausen brought a Cybertruck to the inaugural Electrified Cars & Coffee event at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.

This Cybertruck looks to be one of the company’s most complete prototypes yet, with several attendees – rounded up by InsideEVs – tweeting photos and videos of the truck’s details.

The Cybertruck is still an absurd thing to behold, and it’s hilarious to watch the large truck work its way up the winding ramp of the Petersen’s parking garage (thanks, rear-wheel steering).

All of the design updates appear to be evolutionary updates from the original Cybertruck that Franz von Holzhausen threw a baseball at in 2019. But there’s one major change that’s worth noting: the placement of the charging port.

Originally, the Cybertruck’s charging door was located just behind the rear driver’s side wheel arch.

Now, it appears it’s all been integrated into the arch itself, which could potentially be problematic, since a pickup truck’s outermost extremities are usually the first to get damaged.

The charging door also only reveals a Tesla-specific outlet made to work with the company’s Superchargers – something that isn’t compatible with other public chargers.

So production is underway, then?

Not quite – or not in full force, anyway. It took a while for Tesla’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas to come online, but several Cybertrucks have recently been spotted with and without camouflage, InsideEVs reports.

Giga Texas currently builds the Tesla Model Y electric SUV, and the factory’s website still says it’s the “future home” of the Cybertruck.

Can you still reserve a Cybertruck?

Sure can. All it takes is US$100 – fully refundable, of course.

A week after the Cybertruck’s initial introduction, Elon Musk claimed the company already had 250,000 reservations. Independent sources now estimate there are anywhere between 1.5 million and 1.8 million people interested in buying a Cybertruck.

But how much does it actually cost?

That depends on which version you want. In the US, Tesla says the base Cybertruck will cost US$39,900 with a single electric motor and rear-wheel drive. Stepping up from there, the dual-motor AWD version costs $49,900, and the tri-motor truck commands US$69,900. None of those prices factor in a mandatory destination fee or any federal or local tax credits, natch.

Refresh my memory: what are the specs?

Tesla has yet to confirm official details like horsepower, torque, or battery size, but we do know the company will sell the Cybertruck in single-, dual-, and tri-motor variants.

The base version is expected to launch to 95km/h in 6.5secs, while the dual-motor example quickens that sprint to 4.5 seconds. At the top of the range, Tesla says the tri-motor Cybertruck will be able to hit 95km/h in 2.9secs, which is insane, given the size of this thing.

Then again, Tesla also said the Cybertruck will be able to “serve briefly as a boat", so really, anything’s possible at this point.

When it comes time to do truck stuff, the Cybertruck is expected to be nicely equipped, able to carry 3,500 pounds in its 6.5-foot bed. Single- and dual-motor versions are estimated to be able to tow 7,500 and 10,000 pounds, respectively, while the tri-motor truck ups that figure to 14,000 pounds, which is impressive.

All Cybertrucks will have self-leveling air suspension, able to raise or lower the pickup by a maximum of four inches. Inside, there’ll be a 17-inch touchscreen standard, likely housing all of the truck’s controls, like other Teslas. And yes, the company’s stupid yoke is expected to be offered, as well.

And the range?

It’s also impressive – though, again, we only have Tesla’s estimates to go on right now. The company is targeting at least 400km of range for the base model, 480km for the dual-motor Cybertruck, and more than 800km for the top dog tri-motor pickup.

To put that in perspective, the Ford F-150 Lightning can travel a maximum of 515km on a full charge, and the outrageous GMC Hummer EV is estimated to go 530km.

Do note, though: Tesla’s official range estimates tend to be rather optimistic – especially on America’s EPA test cycle.

We’re definitely curious to see how it’ll all shake out if and when the Cybertruck finds its way into public hands this year.

STORY Steven Ewing