At a press conference last week, Elon Musk presented the Cybertruck, an electric pickup truck that promises all of the utility of a truck and the performance of a sports car. Defined by a sharply angular and futuristic form, this latest addition to the Tesla line of vehicles has been hotly anticipated — pre-orders for the truck recently surpassed 200,000, despite the gaff of two shattered windows during a demonstration of the Cybertruck’s “unbreakable” glass.
Created for both on-road and off-road applications, the Tesla Cybertruck comes in three models: the Single Motor Rear-Wheel Drive for $39,900, the Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive for $49,900 and the Tri Motor All-Wheel Drive for $69,900. Its most expensive option will have a towing capacity of more than 14,000 pounds and a range of 500 miles on a single charge. Despite its heft and size, the tri-motor vehicles can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in less than 3 seconds — numbers comparable to that of a Porsche.
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All of the electric pickup truck models are clad in ultra-hard, 30x cold-rolled stainless steel with windows that are similarly tough and can withstand bullets from a 9-millimeter handgun. The interiors can seat up to six adults and will be outfitted with a large touchscreen and an onboard air compressor. The Cybertruck will have 120-volt and 240-volt power outlets.
Despite the Cybertruck’s distinctive, Blade Runner-esque appearance, Tesla hopes that its new all-electric offering will be strong enough to rival Ford’s F-150 line, the best-selling pickup trucks in America. Meanwhile, Ford also plans to release a hybrid F-150 version next year and expects to unveil an all-electric pickup truck soon. Tesla’s Single Motor Rear-Wheel Drive and Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive models will go on sale in the fall of 2021, while production for the Tri Motor AWD models is expected to begin in late 2022.
Images via Tesla
