After four years of delays, the Cybertruck is finally ready for the world. Tesla CEO Elon Musk handed customers the first batch of trucks at the 25-minute-long Cybertruck Delivery event in Austin, Texas.
The event comes six years after Musk first tweeted about building the Cybertruck and four years after debuting the futuristic truck at an event in Los Angeles. At the time, Musk said the design was inspired by two films – ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘The Spy Who Loved Me.’
Cybertruck event highlights
Musk says he wanted to create something that was “more truck than a truck while also being a better sports car than a sports car.”
He explains the vehicle’s angular shape: “We actually had to come up with a special ultra-strong Tesla-designed steel alloy. Part of the reason it has this angular shape is you can’t actually stamp these body panels. The panels would break the stamping machine.”
Back in 2019, Musk said he wanted the base model to sell at under $50,000. While he didn’t confirm the price range during the event, the Tesla webpage had the following details listed:
- A single-motor rear-wheel-drive base model for $60,990.
- A dual-motor all-wheel drive version for $79,990.
- A ‘Cyberbeast’ has three motors and can travel 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.6 seconds – for $99,990.
The all-wheel drive and Cyberbeast won’t be available for deliveries until 2024. The cheapest version – the single-motor rear-wheel-drive base model – won’t be available until 2025.
The Cybertruck will reportedly blend in effortlessly on a Hollywood film set. Musk showed a video of the truck facing a barrage of bullets from a .45 caliber Tommy Gun, a 9mm Glock, as well as a 9mm Heckler & Koch MP5-SD submachine gun.
Other notable features include a 15-speaker sound system, a built-in HEPA air filter, removable side mirrors, backdoors that open at 90 degrees, an 18.5-inch infinity touchscreen in the front and a 9.4-inch touchscreen in the back, and a wireless charging system.
Fit for the apocalypse
Musk says he is often asked why make a pickup truck bulletproof. His response is simply, “Why not?”
“If you’re ever in an argument with another car, you will win. How tough is your truck? […] Here at Tesla we have the finest in apocalypse technology,” says Musk.
What about the glass?
— Dakota's Tree Service (@allhailtheshib) December 1, 2023
Also what about the tires ?
What about the radiator?
What about other rounds of ammo?
There are other rounds besides 9mm and 45 rounds.
The billionaire CEO explains: “In movies, you sometimes see the hero or heroine hiding behind the car door while being shot with bullets. That doesn’t actually work unless you’re driving a Cybertruck.”
He says the glass is “basically rock-proof,” but some weren’t convinced.
Among the critics is renowned YouTuber, Marques Brownlee, who says the Cybertruck is “the first time that Tesla is straight up not delivering on some of the key specs they promised.”
One Twitter user wanted to know: “What if they shoot your tires because they aren’t idiots?”
Another netizen says: “I predict slow sales. If I’m wrong, great. But people don’t drive pickups because they need them. They buy them to make a lot of noise and to be high enough to be intimidating.”
About the author
Cheryl has contributed to various international publications, with a fervor for data and technology. She explores the intersection of emerging tech trends with logistics, focusing on how digital innovations are reshaping industries on a global scale. When she's not dissecting the latest developments in AI-driven innovation and digital solutions, Cheryl can be found gaming, kickboxing, or navigating the novel niches of consumer gadgetry.
