The first prototype of the Tesla Cybertruck pickup truck was first demonstrated back in 2019. Then Elon Musk promised to start sales by the end of 2021, but the fine-tuning of the car itself and the organization of production stretched for another two years. Only now has the shocking electric car been presented in full production form, and Tesla has finally announced the official start of sales.
From the outside, the serial Cybertruck is almost identical to the prototype. Bumpers have become more massive, side mirrors of bizarre shapes have appeared, as well as a single gigantic wiper. Since the Cybertruck has a highly tilted glass of almost square format, one large brush will be able to cover almost its entire area. But the best way to describe the appearance of the car is the words of Elon Musk himself: “Here is a car that experts said could not be made … I think this is our best product. Finally, the future will look like the future.”
The Cybertruck is 5,682 mm long, 2,200 mm wide (with folded mirrors) and 1,791 mm high. The aerodynamic drag coefficient Cx is 0.335, which is quite acceptable for a car of this size and very specific design. An additional “chandelier” is installed above the windshield, which shines 480 meters into the distance.
The pickup truck has no frame, the load-bearing body is made of high-strength stainless steel. At Tesla, it is called an “exoskeleton.” There is no paint coating, so all Cyber Trucks will be the same color. In addition to resistance to mechanical damage and corrosion, the body is also bulletproof. At the last presentation, a video was shown with the shooting of a pickup truck from a Thompson .45-caliber submachine gun and nine-millimeter Glock and HKMP5SD. The pickup truck passed the test with honor, although the extensive glazing area does not allow calling it a full-fledged armored car.
The glasses themselves are also hardened and have an increased thickness. Their strength was demonstrated only by throwing a baseball performed by the company’s chief designer Franz von Holzhausen. It is stated that the glass will withstand the impact of such a ball flying at a speed of 70 mph (113 km/h). Curiously, at the 2019 presentation, Holzhausen threw a metal ball through the window of the prototype, and then it cracked.
The glasses also have excellent acoustic properties, so the interior of the pickup truck is “quiet as in outer space.” The interior itself is made according to the traditional Tesla scheme, where the main place on the front panel is occupied by a “TV” with a diagonal of 18.5 inches. The rear row passengers have a separate 9.4-inch screen at their disposal, it is located on the back side of the central box. In addition, the cabin is equipped with a variety of USB-C connectors with a charging capacity of up to 65 watts, an audio system with fifteen speakers (including two subwoofers with individual amplifiers), a panoramic roof and a medical-grade air filtration system that captures up to 99.97% of particles in the air.
Cybertruck is equipped with an adaptive air suspension, which provides a vertical wheel travel of 305 mm and a maximum ground clearance of 443 mm (in Extract Mode)! The pickup truck has 20-inch wheels with “evil” off-road tires with an outer diameter of 35 inches. The chassis is fully controllable, and the steering is organized “by wire” — its sharpness and response vary depending on the speed or angle of rotation of the wheels. As a result, the diameter of the U-turn (11.3 m) turned out to be smaller than that of the Tesla Model S passenger car.
Cybertruck became the first Tesla with an 800-volt electrical system. As promised initially, three modifications of the pickup are offered. The younger Tesla Cybertruck RWD has rear-wheel drive with a single electric motor, but such pickups will be on the assembly line only in 2025, so not all specifications have been announced yet. For example, the power is not yet known. The pickup truck is capable of accelerating to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 6.5 seconds, developing 180 km / h and towing a trailer weighing up to 3.4 tons. The mileage on a single charge will be 402 km.
The second variant, called Cybertruck AWD, has all-wheel drive and two electric motors (one for each axle) with differential locks. The total power is 600 hp, and the torque on the wheels (that is, taking into account the gearbox) is 10080 Nm. Acceleration to 97 km/h takes 4.1 seconds, the maximum speed is the same 180 km/h, curb weight is 2,995 kg. The all-wheel drive Cybertruck is capable of running up to 547 km on a single charge.
Finally, the older version is called Cyberbeast, and it is equipped with three electric motors (one on the front and two on the rear axle). The maximum power is 845 hp, the torque on the wheels is 13960 Nm, and the curb weight is 3104 kg. Acceleration to 97 km/h takes a mind-boggling 2.6 seconds for such a large and heavy car! The “Cyber Beast” can even go around a quarter of a mile of a Porsche 911, while towing on a trailer … another Porsche 911! The maximum speed is 209 km/h, and the power reserve is 515 km.
A “stroke extension” is provided, and this is not an internal combustion engine, as in many hybrids, but an additional traction battery, the unit of which is located at the front wall of the cargo platform. With this option, the power reserve will increase by 193-209 km, that is, the AWD version will reach 756 km. Although this is still less than the 500 miles (805 km) promised four years ago. The charger supports a power of up to 250 kW, in 15 minutes of charging from the proprietary Supercharger terminal, you can increase the power reserve by 206-218 km.
The dimensions of the cargo platform made of composite materials are 1.8 m long and 1.2 m wide. The compartment is equipped with an electric shutter, the volume under it is 3.42 cubic meters. All-wheel drive versions have a load capacity of 1134 kg, and according to this indicator, Cybertruck is ahead not only of the electric Ford F-150 Lightning (it has 1014 kg), but also models with internal combustion engines (Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ram 1500). The maximum weight of the towed trailer is five tons. For comparison, this figure does not exceed 4.5 tons for electric Ford, but the mentioned gasoline and diesel pickups can pull up to six tons.
“Deliveries are starting right now!” said Elon Musk. Indeed, the first 10 Cyber Trucks were handed over to their new owners right at the presentation. However, full-fledged sales will begin only in 2024, and production at the Texas plant will gradually increase until 2025. The warranty for the entire car will be four years or 50,000 miles, and for the traction battery and electric drive — eight years or 150,000 miles.
Of course, Tesla could not keep the prices announced four years ago. Then Elon Musk promised that Cybertruck would cost from 40 thousand to 70 thousand dollars. But now even the basic version of RWD is estimated at 61 thousand dollars. Cybertruck AWD will cost at least 80 thousand, and a rabid Cyberbeast costs 100 thousand dollars. For comparison: the Ford F-150 Lightning now costs from 50 thousand to 92 thousand.