Tesla unveils its first pickup, the Cybertruck

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, took stage in Los Angeles to unveil its much-awaited pickup model, the Cybertruck.

The new pickup is designed to have the utility of a truck and the performance of a sports car.

Packing a claimed range of more than 500 miles (800 kms), the new pickup accelerates from 0-60 mph in less than 2.9 seconds. The Cybertruck will have a towing capacity more than 14,000 lbs and a payload capacity of up to 3,500 lbs. Tesla calls the storage box of the pickup a ‘Vault' due to its lockable nature, having a length of 6.5 feet. Other storage options in the vehicle include a 100 cubic feet of exterior storage, frunk, and sail pillars.

The body of the Cybertruck is made of Ultra-Hard 30X Cold-Rolled stainless steel. Musk claims that starting with a nearly impenetrable exoskeleton, every component is designed for superior strength and endurance. Similar to the Tesla Semi, the pickup is also equipped with Tesla Armor Glass. The Cybertruck also features adaptive air suspensions which can be adjusted by 4” in either direction.

The Cab of the Cybertruck has a seating capacity for six occupants. Similar to other Tesla models, the Cybertruck also features a minimalistic interior built around the 17” Touchscreen Infotainment system.

Cybertruck will come in three variants: Single Motor Rear-Wheel Drive, Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive, and Tri Motor All-Wheel Drive. The entry level Single Motor Rear-Wheel Drive will have a towing capacity of up to 7,500 lb with a range just over 250 miles (400 kms). This model will be priced at $39,900.

The next variant with a Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive will offer a towing capacity of 10,000 lbs with a range of over 300 miles (480kms). The price of this variant will begin at $49,900. Although the details of the Tri Motor All-Wheel Drive are scarce at the moment, it is all but confirmed that it will offer the maximum range of more than 500 miles (800 kms) with a starting price of $69,000.

The Tesla Cybertruck can be charged at home, at Destination Charging locations, and with Telsa's network of more than 14,000 Superchargers, including on the newest V3 technology, which is helpful for long hauls and towing. Customers will also have an option to add self-driving capabilities to the pickup for $7000.

The production. of the lower-specced models are expected to begin by the end of 2021 while the Tri Motor models will roll off the lines some time in 2022.