Tesla Cybertruck release date: Production to start surprisingly soon
Manufacturing will start this summer, but full-volume production from next year onwards.
One of the highly anticipated vehicles in the EV space, the Tesla Cybertruck, will not be going in for full-volume production till 2024. The news was confirmed by its CEO, Elon Musk, at Tesla’s fourth-quarter earnings calls on Wednesday.
According to reports from InsideEVs, Musk, while replying to questions regarding the launch of the Cybertruck, said that its initial production will begin “sometime this summer,” but confirmed that mass production will have to wait till 2024. “We do expect production to start sometime this summer, but I always kind of downplay the start of production because the start of production is always very slow.”
The truck was first unveiled in 2019 and garnered quite a lot of interest, while bookings were opened at a refundable amount of $100. The company missed successive scheduled production dates, with the first one in 2021.
On the positive side, The company said that it had started the installation of equipment required for manufacturing the vehicle, which includes castings to mold the truck’s body panels. The assembly of Cybertruck is expected to be mainly based out of its Gigafactory in Austin, Texas.
Battery development causing the delay
The delay in developing Tesla’s 4680-cell battery pack, which was planned to provide the Cybertruck with a 610-mile (980+ km) range, is widely concerned a major limiting factor in launching their new offering.
In early 2022, Musk confirmed how delays in ramping up battery production at its Giga factories in Berline and Texas were causing huge losses to the firm. The delay resulted in it producing its Model Y SUVs with a 2170-cell battery pack since the 4680-cell pack was not developed to meet the requirement.
Last December, Tesla finally confirmed how its 4680 battery cell production crossed a threshold of 868,000 cells, enabling them to support the production of over 1,000 cars a week. These cells were intended to produce one variant of Tesla Model Y at their Gigafactory in Texas. The new 4680-cell structure was unveiled by the firm in 2020, becoming its first cell developed from the ground up.
Is it worth the wait?
The specifications do seem impressive on paper, with claims of a single motor model being capable of going from zero to 60 mph (100 kph) in 6.5 seconds and allowing a maximum speed of 110 mph (177 kph).
The dual-motor variant will reportedly reach 60 mph (100 kph) in just 4.5 seconds and have a top speed of 120 mph (193 kph). And finally, for customers seeking the ultimate performance adventure, the three-motor model has the power to go from zero to 60 mph (100 kph) in just 2.9 seconds while having a top speed of 130 mph (209 kph).
The Cybertruck also features adjustable air suspension with a maximum ground clearance of 6 inches (40 cm), and the towing capacity for the three-motor mode stands at 14,000 pounds (6,350 kg).
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